CVE-2025-54384
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability is a cross-site scripting (XSS) flaw in CKAN's helpers.markdown_extract() function, which fails to properly sanitize user input before rendering it in HTML. It allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into dataset, resource, organization, or group pages, potentially compromising user sessions or stealing data. Affected users include anyone running CKAN versions prior to 2.10.9 or 2.11.4, especially those with public-facing data portals.
💻 Affected Systems
- CKAN
⚠️ Manual Verification Required
This CVE does not have specific version information in our database, so automatic vulnerability detection cannot determine if your system is affected.
Why? The CVE database entry doesn't specify which versions are vulnerable (no version ranges provided by the vendor/NVD).
🔒 Custom verification scripts are available for registered users. Sign up free to download automated test scripts.
- Review the CVE details at NVD
- Check vendor security advisories for your specific version
- Test if the vulnerability is exploitable in your environment
- Consider updating to the latest version as a precaution
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
An attacker could execute arbitrary JavaScript in victims' browsers, leading to session hijacking, data theft, or defacement of CKAN pages, potentially affecting all users accessing the vulnerable pages.
Likely Case
Limited XSS attacks targeting specific users, such as stealing cookies or redirecting to malicious sites, with impact confined to individual sessions or minor data exposure.
If Mitigated
If input validation or output encoding is implemented, the risk is reduced to minimal or no impact, as malicious scripts would be neutralized before execution.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires an attacker to inject malicious input into user-provided data fields, but no public proof-of-concept has been released as of the advisory.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: CKAN 2.10.9 and 2.11.4
Vendor Advisory: https://github.com/ckan/ckan/security/advisories/GHSA-2r4h-8jxv-w2j8
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Backup your CKAN instance and database. 2. Update CKAN to version 2.10.9 or 2.11.4 using your package manager or source. 3. Verify the update by checking the version and testing the affected pages.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Input Sanitization Workaround
allImplement custom input validation or output encoding for user-provided data in CKAN templates to strip or escape HTML/JavaScript content before rendering.
Modify CKAN templates to use safe filters, e.g., in Jinja2: {{ user_input|safe }} should be avoided; use {{ user_input|e }} for escaping.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Disable or restrict user input fields that use the helpers.markdown_extract() function to reduce attack surface.
- Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) with XSS protection rules to block malicious payloads.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check your CKAN version; if it is below 2.10.9 or 2.11.4, you are vulnerable. Review code for use of helpers.markdown_extract() in templates.Check Version:
Run: ckan --version or check the CKAN configuration file for version details.Verify Fix Applied:
After patching, confirm the version is 2.10.9 or 2.11.4 and test by attempting to inject simple XSS payloads into user data fields to ensure they are sanitized.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Look for unusual or repeated POST/GET requests to CKAN pages with JavaScript or HTML payloads in user input fields.
Network Indicators:
- Monitor for outbound connections to suspicious domains triggered by CKAN page loads, which may indicate successful XSS exploitation.
SIEM Query:
Example: 'source="ckan" AND (payload CONTAINS "<script>" OR payload CONTAINS "javascript:")'