Cross-site scripting via unescaped heading IDs
Published May 26, 2026 · Updated May 26, 2026
Cross-site scripting in Mistune before 3.2.1 allows remote attackers to execute JavaScript through crafted Markdown heading text. HTMLRenderer.heading() concatenates a caller-supplied heading_id callback result into an id attribute without escaping, so a double quote adds event-handler attributes. Exploitation requires an application to derive heading IDs from attacker-controlled text and a reader to interact with the rendered heading; the injected script can read same-origin data or alter the page.
Summary
What happened
Cross-site scripting in Mistune before 3.2.1 allows remote attackers to execute JavaScript through crafted Markdown heading text. HTMLRenderer.heading() concatenates a caller-supplied heading_id callback result into an id attribute without escaping, so a double quote adds event-handler attributes. Exploitation requires an application to derive heading IDs from attacker-controlled text and a reader to interact with the rendered heading; the injected script can read same-origin data or alter the page.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-44897
- Published
- May 26, 2026
- Updated
- May 26, 2026
- Vendor
- Lepture
- Product
- Mistune
- Classifications
- CWE-79, T1203
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 26, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 26, 2026Record 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.
- Affected versionversion=< 3.2.1
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- Mistune heading ID attribute breakout proof of conceptproof of concept · demonstrated
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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