# CVE-2026-23516: CVAT vulnerable to XSS via skeleton SVG images

> Attackers can execute arbitrary JavaScript in victim sessions via malicious labels or SVG images, gaining temporary access to user resources.

- **Severity:** High 8.6 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 21 Jan 2026
- **Updated:** 26 Feb 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-3m7p-wx65-c7mp

## What is CVE-2026-23516?

CVE-2026-23516 is a high-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in cvat-ai cvat, published on 21 Jan 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

CVAT is an open source interactive video and image annotation tool for computer vision. In versions 2.2.0 through 2.54.0, an attacker is able to execute arbitrary JavaScript in a victim user's CVAT UI session, provided that they are able to create a maliciously crafted label in a CVAT task or project, then get the victim user to either edit that label, or view a shape that refers to that label; and/or get the victim user to upload a maliciously crafted SVG image when configuring a skeleton. This gives the attacker temporary access to all CVAT resources that the victim user can access. Version 2.55.0 fixes the issue.

Weakness: CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation), CWE-83 (Improper Neutralization of Script in Attributes in a Web Page)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-23516?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cvat Computer Vision Annotation Tool.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-23516?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-23516 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-23516 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-23516 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in cvat-ai cvat

- [CVE-2025-23045](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-23045/): CVAT allows remote code execution via tracker Nuclio functions (high 8.7)
- [CVE-2022-31188](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-31188/): Server-Side Request Forgery Vulnerability in Computer Vision Annotation Tool (CVAT) (high 8.6)
- [CVE-2026-23526](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23526/): CVAT vulnerable to privilege escalation of users with staff status (high 8.5)
- [CVE-2024-37164](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-37164/): CVAT SSRF via custom cloud storage endpoints (high 7.1)
- [CVE-2024-37306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-37306/): CVAT's export and backup-related API endpoints are susceptible to CSRF (high 7.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-23516 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-23516 is a high-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in cvat-ai cvat, published on 21 Jan 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-23516 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: cvat-ai cvat. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23516/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23516/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-23516
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-23516
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-23516

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23516/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.