CKEditor 4 Advanced Content Filter Vulnerability - Malformed HTML Injection
Summary
CVE-2021-41164: CKEditor4 is an open source WYSIWYG HTML editor. Affects ckeditor across 3 version ranges.
>= 769d96134bcf29f5d3d870e25797ce9b9dc8289e, < cab78d432999c8bcd8213a2e0786026a5f9a44dc
>= 870a561110a23435d78eda377400dca7f64d3bd3, < 5a0d3c84b4bc9eb7d1ecd8dfa9b660eb691553c2
>= a412ca41cfc0d954fe3cb2dd982dc6ca049b1c70, < e187f925ed6aa9d9d4b3121904c077aa54ba108a
No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
CKEditor 4 is an open-source WYSIWYG HTML editor widely used for creating and editing web content. It provides a rich text editing experience with features like image uploads, formatting options, and more. However, certain versions of CKEditor 4 are vulnerable to a security flaw in the Advanced Content Filter (ACF) module, which can lead to serious security risks.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in CKEditor 4 allows attackers to inject malformed HTML that bypasses the content sanitization process. This can result in the execution of arbitrary JavaScript code, potentially compromising user data and application integrity. It affects all users running CKEditor 4 versions prior to 4.17.0, making it critical for users to update to the patched version to mitigate risks.
How To Fix
No fixed version is published for this vulnerability.
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Workaround
If immediate updating is not possible, consider disabling the Advanced Content Filter temporarily or restricting the use of CKEditor to trusted users only until the update can be applied. However, this is not a long-term solution and should be addressed as soon as possible.
Conclusion
The CKEditor 4 vulnerability related to the Advanced Content Filter poses significant risks to users running affected versions. It is crucial to update to version 4.17.0 or later to mitigate these risks. Additionally, utilizing tools like Vulert can help monitor and manage vulnerabilities in your software effectively.
See every vulnerability recorded for ckeditor →
FAQ
The CVSS score for this vulnerability is 5.4, indicating a moderate level of severity.
All versions of CKEditor 4 prior to 4.17.0 are affected by this vulnerability.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without needing to sign up.
The risks include the execution of malicious JavaScript code, which can lead to data theft, unauthorized access, and other security breaches.
Yes, Vulert can monitor and alert you in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities using just a manifest file like package-lock.json.
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