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TI-2020-16118 Aliases CVE-2020-26297GHSA-gx5w-rrhp-f436

XSS in mdBook's search page

Priority LOW 38CWE-79Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Network
Privileges required
None
User interaction
Required
Attack complexity
Low
Impact type
Cross-site scripting
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
Low · High · None
Fix status
Fixed

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and GitHub. Impact type from CWE-79.

Summary

mdBook is a utility to create modern online books from Markdown files and is written in Rust. In mdBook before version 0.4.5, there is a vulnerability affecting the search feature of mdBook, which could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary JavaScript code on the page. The search feature of mdBook (introduced in version 0.1.4) was affected by a cross site scripting vulnerability that allowed an attacker to execute arbitrary JavaScript code on an user's browser by tricking the user into typing a malicious search query, or tricking the user into clicking a link to the search page with the malicious search query prefilled. mdBook 0.4.5 fixes the vulnerability by properly escaping the search query. Owners of websites built with mdBook have to upgrade to mdBook 0.4.5 or greater and rebuild their website contents with it.

Why it matters now

EPSS 0.0127 69th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed mdBook (rust-lang): 0.4.5mdBook (crates.io): 0.4.5

SSVC decision points

Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
rust-langmdBookbefore 0.4.50.4.5Patch availableCNA
—mdBook (crates.io)0.1.4 to before 0.4.50.4.5Patch availableGHSA-gx5w-rrhp-f436
  • mdBook Vendorrust-lang Affected before 0.4.5 Fixed in 0.4.5 Patch available CNA
  • mdBook (crates.io) Vendor— Affected 0.1.4 to before 0.4.5 Fixed in 0.4.5 Patch available GHSA-gx5w-rrhp-f436

CPE configurations NVD · 1

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:rust-lang:mdbook:*:*:*:*:*:rust:*:*0.1.4 to before 0.4.5Vulnerablerust-lang
  • cpe:2.3:a:rust-lang:mdbook:*:*:*:*:*:rust:*:* Versions 0.1.4 to before 0.4.5 Vulnerable ·rust-lang

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA mdBook (rust-lang) Fixed in 0.4.5
  • Fix · GHSA-gx5w-rrhp-f436 mdBook (crates.io) Fixed in 0.4.5 Advisory →

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2020-26297
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-gx5w-rrhp-f436

References

Sources