CVE-2026-73038 json
NodeBB < 4.15.0 Stored XSS via ActivityPub emoji tag.icon.url and tag.name
published 2mo ago modified last mo. also EUVD-2026-58226
- cvss
- 6.1
- version 3.1, CNA
- cisa kev
- Not listed
- not in CISA's catalog
- epss
- 0.2%
- EPSS 0.2% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 16%
- public exploits
- 0
- none known
Summary
NodeBB before 4.15.0 contains a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability in the renderEmoji function that fails to escape tag.icon.url and tag.name attributes. Attackers can deliver malicious ActivityPub Create/Note objects with crafted emoji tags to inject arbitrary HTML and JavaScript into stored post content, executing code in all viewers' browsers.
Patch / fix
- NodeBB NodeBB 4.15.0
Is CVE-2026-73038 in your stack? Fencer shows which of your repositories are affected as soon as an advisory lands, and opens the fix as a pull request.
Check with FencerCISA SSVC
- Exploitation
- Proof of concept is public
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- partial
- Assessed
- 2mo ago
Exploit prediction
0.25% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 16% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-11).
Exploits and checks
- github.com https://github.com/NodeBB/NodeBB/issues/14601 referenced PoC, tagged "exploit" by a source, unverified
CVSS scores
| assigned by | version | score | vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| CNA | 4.0 | 5.3 | CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:N/VI:N/VA:N/SC:L/SI:L/SA:N |
| CNA | 3.1 | 6.1 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N |
| CNA | 4.0 | 5.3 | CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:N/VI:N/VA:N/SC:L/SI:L/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X |
Inferred packages
No advisory lists a package for this vulnerability yet. The CVE names these as products and links their GitHub repository, and the package registry names the same repository, so they are probably the affected packages. Low confidence: the versions are the CVE’s own for the product, and a stack check reports the package as unchecked when there are none.
| ecosystem | package | repository | affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| npm | nodebb | nodebb/nodebb | no versions given |
Affected products
- NodeBB NodeBB
Classification
- Weakness
-
- CWE-79 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation
References
-
github.com
/NodeBB/NodeBB/commit/c0d94a217edcafcdb9b3920a6e80935194bcb19e
patch
-
github.com
/NodeBB/NodeBB/issues/14601
technical-description, issue-tracking, exploit
-
github.com
/NodeBB/NodeBB/releases/tag/v4.15.0
release-notes
-
vulncheck.com
/advisories/nodebb-stored-xss-via-activitypub-emoji-tag-icon-url-and-tag-name
third-party-advisory
Sources
- CVE List CVE-2026-73038
- NVD CVE-2026-73038
Fencer Intel keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.
CPEs and fixed versions use Anchore's correction of NVD's data: Added CPE configurations because not yet analyzed by NVD.