Read the Docs vulnerable to Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS

not scored

EPSS

No dated EPSS signal available.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Impact This vulnerability allowed a malicious user to serve arbitrary HTML files from the main application domain (readthedocs[.]org/readthedocs[.]com) by exploiting a vulnerability in the code that serves downloadable content from a project. Exploiting this would have required the attacker to get a logged-in user to visit the malicious URL, which would have allowed the attacker to take control of the user's session with JavaScript (making requests to the API/site on behalf of the user). This URL would have looked something like hxxps[:]//readthedocs[.]org/projects/attacker-project/downloads/html/version-with-javascript-attack/. Patches This issue has been patched in our 8.8.1 release.

Published by the source

10 Nov 2022, 16:02 UTC

Last modified by the source

7 Jan 2023, 05:06 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 12:06 UTC

1. Revision 2 · amended · 26 Oct 2026

   Amended from ghsa record GHSA-98pf-gfh3-x3mp

2. Revision 1 · created · 24 Oct 2026

   Published from osv record GHSA-98pf-gfh3-x3mp

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# Patch Next advisory brief: GHSA-98pf-gfh3-x3mp

Advisory: Read the Docs vulnerable to Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
IDs: GHSA-98pf-gfh3-x3mp
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/ghsa-98pf-gfh3-x3mp (revision 2, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 12:06 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Unrated
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: readthedocs 8.8.1. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- npm readthedocs: affected < 8.8.1; fixed in 8.8.1

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- `npm ls readthedocs --all`: lists every installed copy and version, including transitive ones. Run in the project root after `npm ci`.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on readthedocs.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-98pf-gfh3-x3mp (OSV record GHSA-98pf-gfh3-x3mp lists affected ranges: npm readthedocs >=0 <8.8.1 (fixed))
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-98pf-gfh3-x3mp (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-98pf-gfh3-x3mp lists affected ranges: npm readthedocs >=0 <8.8.1)

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