CVE-2021-29475Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Arbitrary file reads via PDF export JavaScript

Published Apr 26, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Code injection in HedgeDoc before 1.5.0 allows remote attackers who can modify a note to read arbitrary server files during PDF export. The PhantomJS PDF renderer executes JavaScript embedded in note content and permits XMLHttpRequest access to file:/// URLs. When PDF export is enabled, the script can exfiltrate config.json and other readable files, exposing database credentials and OAuth secrets.

CVSS severity10.0
Critical
EPSS probability1.16%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Code injection in HedgeDoc before 1.5.0 allows remote attackers who can modify a note to read arbitrary server files during PDF export. The PhantomJS PDF renderer executes JavaScript embedded in note content and permits XMLHttpRequest access to file:/// URLs. When PDF export is enabled, the script can exfiltrate config.json and other readable files, exposing database credentials and OAuth secrets.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-29475
Published
Apr 26, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
HedgeDoc
Product
HedgeDoc
Classifications
CWE-94, CWE-918, T1005
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 26, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 2024Record 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=< 1.5.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

HedgeDoc · HedgeDocversion=< 1.5.0

Published CVSS scores

10.0GitHubCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N
10.0NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N
5.8NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-94Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')
CWE-918Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF)
T1005Data from Local System

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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