CVE-2023-37898: Safe mode Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Joplin

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2023-37898 is a high (CVSS 8.2) Cross-site Scripting vulnerability in joplin_project joplin. EPSS estimates a 0.43% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 35.8% of scored vulnerabilities. 1 public exploit is recorded.

Timeline

1. 21-06-2024
   PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
2. 02-08-2024
   Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

Joplin is a free, open source note taking and to-do application. A Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability allows an untrusted note opened in safe mode to execute arbitrary code. `packages/renderer/MarkupToHtml.ts` renders note content in safe mode by surrounding it with <pre> and </pre>, without escaping any interior HTML tags. Thus, an attacker can create a note that closes the opening <pre> tag, then includes HTML that runs JavaScript. Because the rendered markdown iframe has the same origin as the toplevel document and is not sandboxed, any scripts running in the preview iframe can access the top variable and, thus, access the toplevel NodeJS `require` function. `require` can then be used to import modules like fs or child_process and run arbitrary commands. This issue has been addressed in version 2.12.9 and all users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability.

• CWE-79Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')The product does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes user-controllable input before it is placed in output that is used as a web page that is served to other users.