GHSA-g8jw-8vpv-pv5q — backdrop/backdrop
MEDIUMGHSA-g8jw-8vpv-pv5q 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 GHSA-g8jw-8vpv-pv5q.
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
GHSA-g8jw-8vpv-pv5q 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 379,145 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 Post content. The account must have admin privileges.
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 GHSA-g8jw-8vpv-pv5q 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
Escape or sanitise the affected output on the server side rather than relying on client-side filtering, and add a Content-Security-Policy that blocks inline script execution so injected markup cannot run even if it reaches the page.
How O3 protects you
O3 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like GHSA-g8jw-8vpv-pv5q can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to GHSA-g8jw-8vpv-pv5q. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
How to detect GHSA-g8jw-8vpv-pv5q
A community-maintained Nuclei template exists for this CVE. You can scan for it directly:
nuclei -id ghsa-g8jw-8vpv-pv5q -u https://target- Template
- Backdrop CMS version 1.23.0 - Cross Site Scripting (Stored)
- Severity
- medium
- Impact
- Authenticated attackers with content creation privileges can inject malicious JavaScript through post content to steal administrator session cookies and credentials when the malicious content is viewed.
- 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 GHSA-g8jw-8vpv-pv5q in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds GHSA-g8jw-8vpv-pv5q across Packagist dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.