CVE-2022-42094 — backdrop/backdrop
MEDIUMCVE-2022-42094 is a medium-severity (CVSS 4.8) Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in backdrop/backdrop. 2 public exploit references exist, so weaponization risk is real. No vendor fix is recorded yet; mitigation options are listed below.
Cross-site Scripting in Backdrop CMS
Exploitation Status
Proof-of-concept exploit code exists
- CISA’s SSVC triage found public proof-of-concept exploit code for this CVE, though no confirmed active exploitation.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for CVE-2022-42094.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
How urgent is this, really
CVE-2022-42094 plotted by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). The shaded corner — EPSS 50%+ and CVSS 7.0+ — is where this CVE doesn't sit, though severity or exploitability alone can still warrant action.
Where this sits among everything scored
Of 378,567 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the < 10% band (highlighted). Real counts from FIRST.org, not a sample — log-scaled since the landscape is heavily right-skewed.
Real-World Exposure
backdrop/backdropReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Packagist packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
Backdrop CMS version 1.23.0 was discovered to contain a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability via the 'Card' content.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐘Packagist | backdrop/backdrop | all versions | No fix |
Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for backdrop/backdrop, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Remediation status
No patched version of backdrop/backdrop has shipped for CVE-2022-42094 yet. Where your build allows, override or pin the dependency away from the vulnerable range, and apply any maintainer-recommended mitigation.
Mitigate without a patch
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like CVE-2022-42094 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to CVE-2022-42094. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
How to detect CVE-2022-42094
A community-maintained Nuclei template exists for this CVE. You can scan for it directly:
nuclei -id cve-2022-42094 -u https://target- Template
- Backdrop CMS version 1.23.0 - Stored Cross Site Scripting
- Severity
- medium
- Impact
- Successful exploitation of this vulnerability could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of the victim's browser, leading to potential session hijacking, defacement, or theft of sensitive information.
- Remediation
- Upgrade to a patched version of Backdrop CMS or apply the necessary security patches provided by the vendor.
Template by ProjectDiscovery nuclei-templates (theamanrawat), MIT licensed. View the full template. Scan only systems you are authorised to test.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2022-42094 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds CVE-2022-42094 across Packagist dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.