Is CVE-2023-39517 actively exploited?

No active exploitation of CVE-2023-39517 has been confirmed so far. Continue monitoring, as exploit status can change.

Can CVE-2023-39517 be exploited remotely?

Yes. CVE-2023-39517 is exploitable remotely over the network (CVSS attack vector: Network).

What is the CVSS score of CVE-2023-39517?

CVE-2023-39517 has a CVSS score of 5.4 (MEDIUM).

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MEDIUM

CVE-2023-39517

CWE-79Published: June 21, 2024· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

5.4

CVSS v3.1

Official Description

Joplin is a free, open source note taking and to-do application. A Cross site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in affected versions allows clicking on an untrusted image link to execute arbitrary shell commands. The HTML sanitizer (`packages/renderer/htmlUtils.ts::sanitizeHtml`) preserves `<map>` `<area>` links. However, unlike `<a>` links, the `target` and `href` attributes are not removed. Additionally, because the note preview pane isn't sandboxed to prevent top navigation, links with `target` set to `_top` can replace the toplevel electron page. Because any toplevel electron page, with Joplin's setup, has access to `require` and can require node libraries, a malicious replacement toplevel page can import `child_process` and execute arbitrary shell commands. This issue has been fixed in commit 7c52c3e9a81a52ef1b42a951f9deb9d378d59b0f which is included in release version 2.12.8. Users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2023-39517 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

Exploitation requires low privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.

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.