CVE-2026-55090 — Etherpad: Stored XSS in HTML export via unescaped attribute-pool values
Etherpad is a real-time collaborative editor. Prior to 3.3.0, getHTMLFromAtext in src/node/utils/ExportHtml.ts interpolates values from the exportHtmlAdditionalTagsWithData plugin hook into span data attributes without HTML attribute escaping. A pad editor can place an attacker-controlled value into the attribute pool through moveOpsToNewPool and AttributePool.putAttrib. When a bundled plugin such as ep_font_color or ep_font_size registers the hook, opening the resulting HTML export causes the value to execute as stored cross-site scripting in the Etherpad origin. This issue is fixed in version 3.3.0.
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- Technical severity (medium)+3
- Automatable exploitation (SSVC)+3
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
CISA SSVC assessment CISA
Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
No fix documented by the sources we poll. That does not mean none exists: check the vendor advisory.
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (ETHER Etherpad).
- The attack is network-based and needs no privileges: restrict exposure (ACLs, VPN, WAF) until patched.
- No fix documented in the sources: reduce exposure and monitor the vendor advisory.
- Exploitation requires user interaction: tighten email/web filtering and warn affected users.
- Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (cross-site scripting), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.3 | CVSS 4.0 | Medium | — | — | security-advisories@github.com via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 5.3 | CVSS 4.0 | Medium | — | — | GitHub_M via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
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 (score shown at the top: security-advisories@github.com) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Prioritize edge telemetry for the network-reachable component (proxy, WAF, IDS/IPS).
- Monitor CSP violation reports and script payloads in reflected parameters.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · ether/etherpad
- SSVC assessment updated
- Record published
- CVSS changed · 5.3
- Source status changed · → Deferred
- Record created in this database
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 15, 2026 – Oct 15, 2026
References
4 on the record
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Critical CVE-2026-55089 Etherpad: JWT `admin` claim presence-only check lets non-admin OAuth users invoke every Etherpad HTTP API endpoint Aug 19, 2026
- Critical CVE-2026-55085 Etherpad: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') in etherpad-lite Aug 19, 2026
- Medium CVE-2026-55086 Etherpad: Import/export use Math.random() for temp file paths; predictable paths on shared /tmp enable symlink-based file overwrite Aug 19, 2026
- Medium CVE-2026-55087 Etherpad: x-proxy-path header reflected into admin HTML/JS/CSS (cache-poisoning XSS) and concatenated into redirect (open-redirect) Aug 19, 2026
- Medium CVE-2026-55088 Etherpad: Device-to-device author-token transfer endpoint is replayable, never expires, and exposes the cleartext author token Aug 19, 2026
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No FIRST EPSS score.
- No fixed version, patch or mitigation documented.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2026-55090 is "Etherpad: Stored XSS in HTML export via unescaped attribute-pool values", rated Medium. It affects Etherpad (ETHER); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 5.3 describes technical severity. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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