CVE Tools
Track your stack

CVE-2023-39517

Cross site scripting (XSS) when clicking on an untrusted `<map>` link in Joplin

No known exploitation. EPSS puts it in the 40th percentile. Fixed in 2.12.8.

CVSS 3.18.2HighEPSS percentile40th0.5% chance in 30 daysCISA KEVNot listedNo confirmed exploitation
No public exploit knownFix2.12.8Upgrade to this build

Published Updated Sources: CVE.org, NVD

NVD CVE.org

What to do

Find your product and version, then upgrade to the build on the right.

  • Laurent22 JoplinAffected: < 2.12.8Upgrade to: not statedStated by: CVE record
  • Joplin Project JoplinAffected: < 2.12.8Upgrade to: 2.12.8Stated by: NVD

Versions as the sources state them. Full version matrix after sign-in

Is your organisation exposed?Request an assessment to establish which checks fit your systems.

What it is

From the CVE record

Joplin is a free, open source note taking and to-do application. A Cross site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in affected versions allows clicking on an untrusted image link to execute arbitrary shell commands. The HTML sanitizer (`packages/renderer/htmlUtils.ts::sanitizeHtml`) preserves `<map>` `<area>` links. However, unlike `<a>` links, the `target` and `href` attributes are not removed. Additionally, because the note preview pane isn't sandboxed to prevent top navigation, links with `target` set to `_top` can replace the toplevel electron page. Because any toplevel electron page, with Joplin's setup, has access to `require` and can require node libraries, a malicious replacement toplevel page can import `child_process` and execute arbitrary shell commands. This issue has been fixed in commit 7c52c3e9a81a52ef1b42a951f9deb9d378d59b0f which is included in release version 2.12.8. Users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability.

In plain language

No plain-language summary for this CVE yet.

Exploitation

Where each signal puts this CVE on the scale from published to confirmed exploited.

EPSS40th
CISA KEV

Not in the catalog. CISA has not confirmed exploitation.

Public exploits

No public exploit or proof of concept found in the sources we track.

EPSS

0.5% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, which ranks it in the 40th percentile of scored CVEs.

Exploit Prediction Scoring System, FIRST.org. A probability, not a confirmation.

Lifecycle

5 events over 153 days, from the signal feeds we watch.

  1. Patch availablerecord updated
  2. Publishedweakness classified, att&ck mapped

Affected products

Technical detail

CVSS 3.1 vector

Open in the CVSS calculator

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:L

Scored 8.2 by NVD.

How it is reached

  • Attack Vector NetworkExploitable remotely over the network without any special conditions
  • Attack Complexity LowNo special conditions — the attack can be reliably reproduced
  • Privileges Required LowRequires basic user-level privileges
  • User Interaction RequiredA user must click a link, open a file, or perform some action

Scope

  • Scope ChangedThe exploit can affect other components (e.g. sandbox escape, host compromise from VM)

Impact if exploited

  • Confidentiality HighTotal information disclosure — all data in the component is compromised
  • Integrity LowData modification is possible but limited in scope or consequence
  • Availability LowReduced performance or intermittent disruption of service

Weaknesses

ATT&CK techniques

Mapped from the weaknesses above (CWE to ATT&CK), not observed in attacks.

Sources

References in the record

Watch the software you run.

My Stack ranks new CVEs for your products by real-world exploitation, so the next serious one reaches you without reading every advisory.

We'll flag the next CVE, public exploit or patch for Joplin, not every advisory.