Ckeditor
CVE-2021-32809
MEDIUM
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A05:2025 - Injection
ASVS 5.0
V1 - Encoding and Sanitization Code injection prevention, sandbox exec
MITRE ATT&CK
2 techniques across 2 tactics: Execution, Initial Access The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up. |
| Impact | CVSS score of 5.4 (MEDIUM). Attack characteristics: network attack vector, low complexity, low privileges required, user interaction required. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | A remote attacker could inject and execute arbitrary code within the application by sending crafted requests to the affected application. |
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Alert meAnalysisAI
ckeditor is an open source WYSIWYG HTML editor with rich content support. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.4), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, low attack complexity. This Code Injection vulnerability could allow attackers to inject and execute arbitrary code within the application.
RemediationAI
A vendor patch is available. Apply the latest security update as soon as possible. Never evaluate user-controlled input as code. Use sandboxing, disable dangerous functions, apply strict input validation.
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 Code Injection (CWE-94), which allows attackers to inject and execute arbitrary code within the application. ckeditor is an open source WYSIWYG HTML editor with rich content support. A potential vulnerability has been discovered in CKEditor 4 Clipboard package. The vulnerability allowed to abuse paste functionality using malformed HTML, which could result in injecting arbitrary HTML into the editor. It affects all users using the CKEditor 4 plugins listed above at version >= 4.5.2. The problem has been recognized and patched. The fix will be available in version 4.16.2. Affected products include: Ckeditor, Fedoraproject Fedora, Oracle Application Express, Oracle Banking Party Management, Oracle Commerce Guided Search. Version information: version 4.16.2..
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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:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.
CVSS VectorNVD
DescriptionNVD
ckeditor is an open source WYSIWYG HTML editor with rich content support. A potential vulnerability has been discovered in CKEditor 4 Clipboard package. The vulnerability allowed to abuse paste functionality using malformed HTML, which could result in injecting arbitrary HTML into the editor. It affects all users using the CKEditor 4 plugins listed above at version >= 4.5.2. The problem has been recognized and patched. The fix will be available in version 4.16.2.
Threat Intelligence Overview
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
GitHub
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
Code injection occurs when an application accepts user input and passes it directly into a language interpreter or evaluator without proper sanitization.
Remote Code Execution represents the critical moment when an attacker successfully runs arbitrary code on a target system without physical access.
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
A cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the HTML Data Processor for CKEditor 4.0 before 4.14 allows remote attacke
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
Exploit-DB