HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2020-9281
MEDIUM

CVE-2020-9281

CWE-79Published: March 7, 2020· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

6.1
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

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).

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2020-9281 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

Exploitation does not require any privileges, though user interaction (Required) is needed, which slightly reduces the risk of mass automated attacks.

The vulnerability has a "Changed" scope, meaning successful exploitation can impact components beyond the vulnerable component itself — such as the host operating system or adjacent services.

From a weakness classification perspective (CWE-79): Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities allow attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.None
User InteractionRequired
ScopeChanged
Impact
ConfidentialityLow
IntegrityLow
AvailabilityNone
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N

Affected Vendors & Products

ckeditor1 product(s)
ckeditor
Drupal1 product(s)
drupal
Fedora1 product(s)
fedora
Oracle8 product(s)
agile plmapplication expressjd edwards enterpriseone toolspeoplesoft enterprise peopletoolssiebel apps - customer order managementwebcenter portalbanking enterprise default managementbanking enterprise default managment
Source: NVD CPE · 23 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.

Official Patches & Advisories

All References (18)

https://github.com/ckeditor/ckeditor4Product · Third Party Advisory
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuoct2021.htmlNot Applicable · Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/ckeditor/ckeditor4Product · Third Party Advisory

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2020-9281
CVSS Score6.1 / 10
SeverityMEDIUM
WeaknessCWE-79
CISA KEVNo
Affected4 vendor(s)
PublishedMar 7, 2020

Related CVEs (CWE-79)

Recommended Actions

  • Apply vendor patches immediately
  • Monitor CVE-2020-9281 in threat intel feeds
  • Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWatch. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.