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GHSA-6865-qjcf-286f
No affected components available
Summary
An unauthenticated reflected XSS vulnerability exists in the dynamic icon API endpoint:
GET /api/icon/getDynamicIcon
When type=8, attacker-controlled content is embedded into SVG output without escaping. Because the endpoint is unauthenticated and returns image/svg+xml, a crafted URL can inject executable SVG/HTML event handlers (for example onerror) and run JavaScript in the SiYuan web origin.
This can be chained to perform authenticated API actions and exfiltrate sensitive data when a logged-in user opens the malicious link.
Details
The issue is caused by unsafe output construction and incomplete sanitization:
-
Endpoint is exposed without auth middleware
- Source: https://github.com/siyuan-note/siyuan/blob/master/kernel/api/router.go#L27-L37
GET /api/icon/getDynamicIconis registered in the unauthenticated section.
-
User input is inserted into SVG via string formatting
- Source: https://github.com/siyuan-note/siyuan/blob/master/kernel/api/icon.go#L115-L175
- Source: https://github.com/siyuan-note/siyuan/blob/master/kernel/api/icon.go#L537-L585
- In
generateTypeEightSVG,%sdirectly injectscontentinto<text>...</text>without XML/HTML escaping.
-
Sanitizer only removes
<script>tags- Source: https://github.com/siyuan-note/siyuan/blob/master/kernel/util/misc.go#L235-L281
RemoveScriptsInSVGremoves<script>nodes, but does not remove dangerous attributes (onerror,onload, etc.) or unsafe elements.
As a result, payloads such as </text><image ... onerror=...><text> survive and execute.
PoC
Minimal browser execution PoC
Open this URL in a browser:
GET /api/icon/getDynamicIcon?type=8&content=%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Cimage%20href%3Dx%20onerror%3Dalert(document.domain)%3E%3C%2Fimage%3E%3Ctext%3E
Example full URL:
http://127.0.0.1:6806/api/icon/getDynamicIcon?type=8&content=%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Cimage%20href%3Dx%20onerror%3Dalert(document.domain)%3E%3C%2Fimage%3E%3Ctext%3E
Expected result:
- JavaScript executes (
alert(document.domain)), confirming reflected XSS.
Authenticated impact demonstration
If a victim is authenticated in the same browser session, JavaScript running in origin can call privileged APIs and exfiltrate returned data.
Impact
This is a reflected XSS in an unauthenticated endpoint, with realistic account/data compromise impact:
- Arbitrary JavaScript execution in SiYuan web origin.
- Authenticated action abuse via same-origin API calls.
- Sensitive data exposure (notes/config/API responses) from victim context.
- Potential chained server-impact actions depending on victim privileges and deployment mode.
The vulnerability can be exploited over the network without needing physical access. It is easy for an attacker to exploit this vulnerability. An attacker does not need any special privileges or access rights. The attacker needs the user to perform some action, like clicking a link. The vulnerability can affect other systems as well, not just the initial system. There is a high impact on the confidentiality of the information. There is a high impact on the integrity of the data.
Exploitation activity has been observed. Apply available patches or mitigations urgently.
The exploit probability is very low. The vulnerability is unlikely to be exploited in the next 30 days.
We did not find any exploit available. Neither in GitHub repositories nor in the Exploit-Database.
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