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Element Web EUVDEUVD-2026-64046

| CVE-2026-55850 MEDIUM
Cross-site Scripting (XSS) (CWE-79)
2026-08-21 GitHub_M
5.3
CVSS 4.0 · Vendor: GitHub_M
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Attack ChainAIDerived

Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain

  1. Access
    Compromise or operate adversary-controlled Matrix homeserver
  2. Delivery
    Inject crafted phishing HTML into homeserver homepage endpoint
  3. Exploit
    User opens Element Web configured to that homeserver
  4. Execution
    EmbeddedPage fetches and renders unsanitized HTML via dangerouslySetInnerHTML
  5. Persist
    Victim sees attacker-controlled phishing UI in trusted client context
  6. Impact
    Victim submits credentials to attacker-controlled endpoint

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.

Exploitation Conditions

Exploitation requires the attacker to control or have compromised the specific Matrix homeserver that the victim's Element Web instance is configured to use - this vulnerability is not exploitable by arbitrary network attackers against default configurations of independent deployments. The user must have their Element Web homepage load in the browser, which occurs on normal client startup (passive interaction, not deliberate user action beyond opening the app). No authentication to Element Web is required on the attacker's side; the homeserver-side access is the prerequisite. The enforced Content Security Policy prevents JavaScript execution from the injected HTML, limiting the attack surface to HTML and CSS phishing payloads. Self-hosted homeserver deployments with weak server-side security postures and publicly federated servers whose homepage endpoints can be influenced are at elevated risk relative to managed SaaS deployments where homeserver infrastructure is controlled by a trusted operator.

Impact

The CVSS 4.0 vector (AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:L/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N) scoring 5.3 Medium accurately reflects the constrained impact profile: network-delivered, low complexity, but limited to low confidentiality and integrity impact with no availability consequence. The critical limiting factor is the homeserver trust relationship - this is not exploitable by arbitrary internet attackers; the threat actor must control or have compromised the specific Matrix homeserver the victim is configured to use. EPSS data was not provided, so exploitation probability cannot be quantified. No CISA KEV listing and no identified public exploit code reduce urgency for most deployments. The realistic threat model is targeted phishing against users of compromised or adversary-operated homeservers - the injected HTML renders with full browser fidelity in the trusted Element interface, making it a credible social engineering vector. The CSP boundary is a meaningful and confirmed partial control that prevents JavaScript execution, keeping this outside the critical tier despite unsanitized HTML rendering.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

An attacker operating a rogue Matrix homeserver - or one who has gained write access to a legitimate homeserver's homepage endpoint configuration - serves a crafted HTML payload containing a spoofed Element session-expiry prompt with a credential-harvesting form. When a user running Element Web prior to 1.12.22 connects to that homeserver and the homepage loads, the injected HTML renders with full visual fidelity inside the trusted Element interface. Because CSP blocks JavaScript, the attacker relies on a plain HTML form submission to an attacker-controlled endpoint to capture Matrix credentials.

This Month Plan within 30 days. Why: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9).
Patch available 0.3% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Aug 21, 2026

Element Web's EmbeddedPage component rendered homeserver-supplied homepage HTML directly into the DOM via React's dangerouslySetInnerHTML without first passing it through the application's sanitizedHtmlNode utility, enabling any malicious or compromised Matrix homeserver to inject arbitrary HTML into the client homepage of connecting users prior to version 1.12.22. The Content Security Policy blocks JavaScript execution, constraining impact to HTML-based phishing - fake login forms, spoofed UI overlays - rather than remote code execution. No public exploit code has been identified and this vulnerability is not listed in CISA KEV.

RemediationAI

Upgrade Element Web to version 1.12.22 or later, confirmed available at https://github.com/element-hq/element-web/releases/tag/v1.12.22. The fix eliminates the unsanitized dangerouslySetInnerHTML call in EmbeddedPage.tsx by routing all homeserver-supplied homepage content through the sanitizedHtmlNode utility with an appropriate sanitize-html allowlist. For deployments unable to upgrade immediately, a targeted compensating control is to configure the homeserver's homepage URL to point to a trusted, organizationally-controlled static resource, thereby preventing attacker-supplied content from reaching EmbeddedPage entirely; the trade-off is loss of dynamic homeserver-customized homepage content. Ensuring a strict Content Security Policy is deployed (Element Web's default CSP already blocks inline script execution) limits residual risk from any HTML injection to phishing-class content without code execution. Additional deployment context may be available at https://www.machinespirits.com/advisory/563a17.

Affected VersionsENISA

element-web < 1.12.22

Affected Packages

euvd element_web fix: 1.12.22

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 1 package in euvd

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

Element Web (CPE: cpe:2.3:a:element-hq:element-web:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*) is a React-based web client for the Matrix decentralized messaging protocol. CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation) is the root cause: the EmbeddedPage.tsx component fetched homepage content from the configured homeserver and passed it directly to dangerouslySetInnerHTML - React's intentional escape hatch that bypasses all framework-level XSS protections. Other content-rendering paths in Element Web correctly route through sanitizedHtmlNode, which calls the sanitize-html library with a strict element and attribute allowlist. EmbeddedPage was the sole unsanitized path. The fix in commit 7949980 routes EmbeddedPage content through sanitizedHtmlNode with a customized sanitizeParams configuration that retains support for images and inline styles while stripping dangerous elements such as iframes and script tags. The commit diff also shows the sanitizedHtmlNode function itself was refactored to accept optional className and sanitizeParams arguments, enabling per-call policy customization.

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Severity by source

Vendor (GitHub_M) PRIMARY 5.3 MEDIUM
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:L/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
vuln.today AI 5.4 MEDIUM

Network-delivered via homeserver with no privileges required, but passive user interaction needed to load the homepage; CSP limits impact to low confidentiality and integrity with no code execution.

3.1 AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
4.0 AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:L/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

Primary rating from Vendor (GitHub_M).

CVSS VectorVendor: GitHub_M

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Attack Requirements
None
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
Passive
Vulnerable system: Confidentiality
Low
Vulnerable system: Integrity
Low
Vulnerable system: Availability
None
Subsequent system: Confidentiality
None
Subsequent system: Integrity
None
Subsequent system: Availability
None

Lifecycle Timeline

1
Patch available
Aug 21, 2026 - 19:02 EUVD

DescriptionCVE.org

Element Web is a Matrix web client built using the Matrix React SDK. Prior to 1.12.22, EmbeddedPage in apps/web/src/components/structures/EmbeddedPage.tsx renders homeserver-supplied homepage content through dangerouslySetInnerHTML without passing it through sanitizedHtmlNode. A malicious homeserver can provide crafted HTML that Element Web renders on the homepage; the content security policy prevents JavaScript but not phishing HTML. This issue is fixed in version 1.12.22.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.3%
Top 76% exploitable
Prevalence
Medium
popular open-source Matrix web client, moderate community and enterprise deployment
Data Quality
6 sources
Confidence: High

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.

SignalValue
Severity MEDIUM
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 0.3%
Patch available Yes
Active threat No
Deciding rule
MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision· derived
Scheduled
Exploitation
None
System Exposure· derived
Open
Automatable
No
Human Impact· derived
Medium
Technical Impact
Partial

Priority Score

26
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +26
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Cross-Site Scripting occurs when an application accepts untrusted data and sends it to a web browser without proper validation or encoding.

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