# CVE-2026-44175: Kirby: Cross-site scripting (XSS) from list field content in the site frontend

> Attackers can inject malicious HTML via the list field API, leading to persistent XSS and potential account takeover for site visitors and admins.

- **Severity:** High 8.5 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 16 Jul 2026
- **Updated:** 17 Jul 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-5fhx-9q32-q257

## What is CVE-2026-44175?

CVE-2026-44175 is a high-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in getkirby kirby, published on 16 Jul 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Kirby is an open-source content management system. In versions prior to 4.9.1 and 5.4.1, Kirby did not securely sanitize the contents of the list field on save, leaving it vulnerable to cross-site scripting (XSS). Kirby's list field stores its formatted content as HTML, and unlike other field types, its HTML special characters cannot be escaped without losing the formatting. Sanitization was only enforced client-side in the Panel, while the server did not sanitize the content on save. As a result, an attacker could bypass the Panel and send malicious HTML directly to Kirby's API, storing unsanitized markup in the content file. That markup would then be rendered on the site frontend and executed in the browsers of site visitors and logged-in users browsing the site, resulting in persistent XSS. This issue has been fixed in versions 4.9.1 and 5.4.1.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-44175?

4 open source packages ship an affected version, including getkirby/cms.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `getkirby/cms` | Packagist | All versions | 4.9.1 |
| `getkirby/cms` | Packagist | All versions | 4.9.1 |
| `getkirby/cms` | Packagist | From 5.0.0 | 5.4.1 |
| `getkirby/cms` | Packagist | From 5.0.0 | 5.4.1 |

## How do I fix CVE-2026-44175?

Upgrade getkirby/cms to a fixed version for your release line: 4.9.1 or 5.4.1.

## Is CVE-2026-44175 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-44175 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-44175 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-44175 is a high-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in getkirby kirby, published on 16 Jul 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-44175 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- getkirby/cms (Packagist): affected all versions; fixed in 4.9.1
- getkirby/cms (Packagist): affected all versions; fixed in 4.9.1
- getkirby/cms (Packagist): affected from 5.0.0; fixed in 5.4.1
- getkirby/cms (Packagist): affected from 5.0.0; fixed in 5.4.1

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-2026-44175/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-44175/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-44175
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-44175
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-44175

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-44175/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.