Ckeditor
CVE-2020-9281
MEDIUM
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A05:2025 - Injection
ASVS 5.0
V1 - Encoding and Sanitization Output encoding, context-aware escaping
MITRE ATT&CK
2 techniques across 2 tactics: Initial Access, Execution The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up. |
| Impact | CVSS score of 6.1 (MEDIUM). Attack characteristics: network attack vector, low complexity, no privileges required, user interaction required. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | A remote attacker could inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users by sending crafted requests to the affected application. No authentication is required to exploit this vulnerability. |
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Alert meAnalysisAI
A cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the HTML Data Processor for CKEditor 4.0 before 4.14 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script through a crafted "protected" comment (with. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.1), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity.
RemediationAI
A vendor patch is available. Apply the latest security update as soon as possible. Sanitize all user input, use Content-Security-Policy headers, encode output contextually (HTML, JS, URL). Use frameworks with built-in XSS protection.
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 1 package in npm
Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.
Technical ContextAI · show details
This vulnerability is classified as Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) (CWE-79), which allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. A cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the HTML Data Processor for CKEditor 4.0 before 4.14 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script through a crafted "protected" comment (with the cke_protected syntax). Affected products include: Ckeditor, Fedoraproject Fedora, Drupal, Oracle Agile Plm, Oracle Application Express. Version information: before 4.14.
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- Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources
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Severity by source
AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.
CVSS VectorNVD
DescriptionNVD
A cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the HTML Data Processor for CKEditor 4.0 before 4.14 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script through a crafted "protected" comment (with the cke_protected syntax).
Threat Intelligence Overview
How this decision was reached
The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
Attack Technique
Cross-Site Scripting occurs when an application accepts untrusted data and sends it to a web browser without proper validation or encoding.
Affected Products (CPE)NVD
A unrestricted file upload vulnerability was discovered in the ‘Browse and upload images’ feature of the CKEditor v1.2.3
A cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the HTML Data Processor in CKEditor 4 4.14.0 through 4.16.x before 4.16.1
CKEditor 4.x before 4.11.0 allows user-assisted XSS involving a source-mode paste. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.1), thi
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the print_textinputs_var function in editor/dialog/fck_spellerpages/spellerp
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in editor/dialog/fck_spellerpages/spellerpages/server-scripts/spellchecker.php
CKEditor4 is an open source what-you-see-is-what-you-get HTML editor. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.5), this vulnerability
Unspecified vulnerability in the CKeditor module 6.x-2.x before 6.x-2.3 and the CKEditor module 6.x-1.x before 6.x-1.9 a
It was possible to execute a ReDoS-type attack inside CKEditor 4 before 4.16 by persuading a victim to paste crafted URL
It was possible to execute a ReDoS-type attack inside CKEditor 4 before 4.16 by persuading a victim to paste crafted tex
A cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Color Dialog plugin for CKEditor 4.15.0 allows remote attackers to run
CKEditor 5 provides a WYSIWYG editing solution. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploit
CKEditor 5 is an open source rich text editor framework with a modular architecture. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.5), t
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
GitHub
VulDB
Exploit-DB