CVE-2023-22491Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Build-server code execution via JavaScript frontmatter parsing

Published Jan 13, 2023 · Updated Mar 11, 2025

Code injection in Gatsby gatsby-transformer-remark before 5.25.1 and 6.0.0 through 6.3.1 allows attackers to execute JavaScript during builds. In data mode, the MarkdownRemark transformer passes JavaScript-tagged frontmatter to gray-matter with its JavaScript engine enabled, so parsing evaluates the embedded code. Exploitation requires untrusted or unsanitized content to enter a Markdown file processed during a build, and the code runs with the build server's privileges.

CVSS severity8.1
High
EPSS probability0.61%
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 Gatsby gatsby-transformer-remark before 5.25.1 and 6.0.0 through 6.3.1 allows attackers to execute JavaScript during builds. In data mode, the MarkdownRemark transformer passes JavaScript-tagged frontmatter to gray-matter with its JavaScript engine enabled, so parsing evaluates the embedded code. Exploitation requires untrusted or unsanitized content to enter a Markdown file processed during a build, and the code runs with the build server's privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-22491
Published
Jan 13, 2023
Updated
Mar 11, 2025
Vendor
Gatsby
Product
Gatsby
Classifications
CWE-89, CWE-20, T1059.007
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 13, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Mar 11, 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?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=< 5.25.1
  2. Affected versionversion=>= 6.0.0, < 6.3.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Gatsby · Gatsbyversion=< 5.25.1; version=>= 6.0.0, < 6.3.2

Published CVSS scores

8.1GitHubCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-89Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection')
CWE-20Improper Input Validation
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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