# CVE-2026-28338: PMD Designer has Stored XSS in VBHTMLRenderer and YAHTMLRenderer via unescaped violation messages

> Attackers can execute arbitrary JavaScript in browsers by crafting source code analyzed by PMD using legacy HTML report formats.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A: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:** Yes
- **Published:** 27 Feb 2026
- **Updated:** 3 Mar 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-8rr6-2qw5-pc7r

## What is CVE-2026-28338?

CVE-2026-28338 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in pmd, published on 27 Feb 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

PMD is an extensible multilanguage static code analyzer. Prior to version 7.22.0, PMD's `vbhtml` and `yahtml` report formats insert rule violation messages into HTML output without escaping. When PMD analyzes untrusted source code containing crafted string literals, the generated HTML report contains executable JavaScript that runs when opened in a browser. Practical impact is limited because `vbhtml` and `yahtml` are legacy formats rarely used in practice. The default `html` format is properly escaped and not affected. Version 7.22.0 contains a fix for the issue.

Weakness: CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-28338?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including net.sourceforge.pmd:pmd-core. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `net.sourceforge.pmd:pmd-core` | Maven | All versions | 7.22.0 |
| `net.sourceforge.pmd:pmd-core` | Maven | All versions | 7.22.0 |

Products: Pmd Project Pmd.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-28338?

Upgrade net.sourceforge.pmd:pmd-core to 7.22.0 or later.

## Is CVE-2026-28338 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-28338 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in pmd

- [CVE-2019-7722](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-7722/): Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference in PMD (high 8.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-28338 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-28338 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in pmd, published on 27 Feb 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: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-28338 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- net.sourceforge.pmd:pmd-core (Maven): affected all versions; fixed in 7.22.0
- net.sourceforge.pmd:pmd-core (Maven): affected all versions; fixed in 7.22.0

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-2026-28338/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-28338/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-28338
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-28338
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-28338

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-28338/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.