CVE-2021-32809: CKEditor 4 Clipboard Feature Vulnerability
Summary
CVE-2021-32809: Affected packages The vulnerability has been discovered in clipboard plugin. Affects ckeditor4 versions >= 4.5.2, < 4.16.2. Fixed in 4.16.2. How to fix ↓
Also tracked for
- ckeditor · Debian:11
The same CVE-2021-32809 is tracked separately for each ecosystem and vendor. Its fix information is the same; the package and affected versions differ.
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Background
CKEditor 4 is an open-source rich text editor used for web content creation. It provides a wide range of features and plugins to enhance the editing experience. One of the plugins, called Clipboard, allows users to copy and paste content into the editor. This plugin, along with several others that depend on it, is affected by a vulnerability that allows an attacker to inject arbitrary HTML into the editor using the paste functionality.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the CKEditor 4 Clipboard package allows an attacker to abuse the paste functionality by using malformed HTML. This can result in the injection of arbitrary HTML code into the editor, potentially leading to various security issues. The vulnerability affects all users of CKEditor 4 who have any of the following plugins installed: clipboard, pastetext, pastetools, widget, uploadwidget, autolink, and tableselection. The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 4.6, indicating a moderate severity level.
How To Fix
Latest published version: 4.25.2 as of 22 Oct 2026
npm install ckeditor4@4.25.2Upgrading to it may include breaking changes; the version below is the minimum fixed release for this vulnerability.
If you need the minimum change
4.16.2
This is the first release that contains the fix.
npm install ckeditor4@4.16.2Tip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
There is no specific workaround mentioned for this vulnerability. However, users can temporarily disable the affected plugins (clipboard, pastetext, pastetools, widget, uploadwidget, autolink, and tableselection) until the fix is applied.
Conclusion
The CKEditor 4 Clipboard feature vulnerability allows an attacker to inject arbitrary HTML code into the editor, potentially leading to security issues. Users are advised to update their CKEditor 4 installation to version 4.16.2 once it is released and regularly update CKEditor and its plugins to ensure the latest security patches are applied. For further support on vulnerability remediation, contact DevNack.com.
See every vulnerability recorded for ckeditor4 →
FAQ
CKEditor 4 is an open-source rich text editor used for web content creation. It provides a user-friendly interface and a wide range of features to enhance the editing experience.
The vulnerability affects the following CKEditor 4 plugins: clipboard, pastetext, pastetools, widget, uploadwidget, autolink, and tableselection.
The vulnerability allows an attacker to inject arbitrary HTML code into the CKEditor 4 editor, which can lead to various security issues.
To fix the vulnerability, users should update their CKEditor 4 installation to version 4.16.2 once it is released. Regularly updating CKEditor and its plugins is also recommended.
While there is no specific workaround mentioned, users can temporarily disable the affected plugins until the fix is applied.
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