Remote code execution via rendered Beacon username
Published Sep 22, 2022 · Updated Oct 21, 2025
Cross-site scripting in HelpSystems Cobalt Strike 4.7 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute code through a malformed Beacon username. The teamserver accepts selected Beacon metadata without XSS validation and passes the username to a Swing client, where HTML-prefixed text is rendered and can load attacker-controlled content. Exploitation requires configuration details from a Beacon payload and user interaction with the affected client view, bounding the consequence to operators who inspect the malicious session.
Summary
What happened
Cross-site scripting in HelpSystems Cobalt Strike 4.7 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute code through a malformed Beacon username. The teamserver accepts selected Beacon metadata without XSS validation and passes the username to a Swing client, where HTML-prefixed text is rendered and can load attacker-controlled content. Exploitation requires configuration details from a Beacon payload and user interaction with the affected client view, bounding the consequence to operators who inspect the malicious session.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-39197
- Published
- Sep 22, 2022
- Updated
- Oct 21, 2025
- Vendor
- Unknown vendor
- Product
- Unknown product
- Classifications
- CWE-79, CWE-20, T1203
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 22, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Oct 21, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- CVE-2022-39197 RCE POCproof of concept · demonstrated
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Reported exploitation
- CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog listingknown exploited catalog
Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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