Saltcorn's Reflected XSS and Command Injection vulnerabilities can be chained for 1-click-RCE

Exploitation

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

CVSS

9.6 · CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS

No dated EPSS signal available.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Summary 1. There is a reflected XSS vulnerability in the GET /admin/edit-codepage/:name route through the name parameter. This can be used to hijack the session of an admin if they click a specially crafted link. 2. Additionally, there is a Command Injection vulnerability in GET /admin/backup. The admin can inject a shell command in the backup password which is inserted in the command used to create the backup zip. Both vulnerabilities can be chained to craft a malicious link which will execute an arbitrary shell command on the server if it is clicked by a saltcorn admin with an active session. I believe iframes could also be used to exploit this silently when the admin visits an attacker-controlled web page (though I have not tested that). Details 1. The XSS vulnerability is here: https://github.com/saltcorn/saltcorn/blob/020893c0001678fd5ebd2c088ba68b395de1aabc/packages/server/routes/admin.js#L4886-L4887 Specifically, the name parameter is inserted into the pages breadcrumbs…

Published by the source

26 Jan 2026, 23:34 UTC

Last modified by the source

3 Feb 2026, 03:07 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 12:41 UTC

1. Revision 3 · amended · 26 Oct 2026

   Amended from ghsa record GHSA-cr3w-cw5w-h3fj

2. Revision 2 · amended · 24 Oct 2026

   Amended from osv record GHSA-cr3w-cw5w-h3fj

3. Revision 1 · created · 23 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-cr3w-cw5w-h3fj

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# Patch Next advisory brief: GHSA-cr3w-cw5w-h3fj

Advisory: Saltcorn's Reflected XSS and Command Injection vulnerabilities can be chained for 1-click-RCE
IDs: GHSA-cr3w-cw5w-h3fj
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/ghsa-cr3w-cw5w-h3fj (revision 3, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 12:41 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Critical (CVSS 9.6)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: @saltcorn/server 1.5.0-beta.19. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- npm @saltcorn/server: affected >= 1.1.1, < 1.5.0-beta.19; fixed in 1.5.0-beta.19

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- `npm ls @saltcorn/server --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 @saltcorn/server.
- 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://github.com/advisories/GHSA-cr3w-cw5w-h3fj (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-cr3w-cw5w-h3fj lists affected ranges: npm @saltcorn/server >=1.1.1 <1.5.0-beta.19)
- Verified: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-cr3w-cw5w-h3fj (OSV record GHSA-cr3w-cw5w-h3fj lists affected ranges: npm @saltcorn/server >=1.1.1 <1.5.0-beta.19 (fixed))

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