CVE-2020-26298Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Cross-site scripting via unescaped quote content

Published Jan 11, 2021 · Updated Feb 13, 2025

Cross-site scripting in Redcarpet before 3.5.1 allows context-dependent attackers to inject script through Markdown quote syntax. The rndr_quote renderer copies quote text directly into q elements without calling escape_html, even when the escape_html option is enabled. Exploitation requires an application to enable quote and escape_html, render attacker-controlled Markdown, and deliver the result to another user's browser.

CVSS severity6.8
Medium
EPSS probability1.57%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Cross-site scripting in Redcarpet before 3.5.1 allows context-dependent attackers to inject script through Markdown quote syntax. The rndr_quote renderer copies quote text directly into q elements without calling escape_html, even when the escape_html option is enabled. Exploitation requires an application to enable quote and escape_html, render attacker-controlled Markdown, and deliver the result to another user's browser.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-26298
Published
Jan 11, 2021
Updated
Feb 13, 2025
Vendor
Ximian
Product
Red Carpet
Classifications
CWE-74, CWE-79, T1059.007
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 11, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 13, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=< 3.5.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Ximian · Red Carpetversion=< 3.5.1

Published CVSS scores

6.8GitHub Advisory DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N
5.4UbuntuCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-74Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection')
CWE-79Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
T1059.007Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript/JScript

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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