MySQL & free URL mode allows to hide existing notes in hedgedoc
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- High
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · High · Low
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
HedgeDoc is an open source, real-time, collaborative, markdown notes application. When using HedgeDoc 1 with MySQL or MariaDB, it is possible to create notes with an alias matching the ID of existing notes. The affected existing note can then not be accessed anymore and is effectively hidden by the new one. When the freeURL feature is enabled (by setting the `allowFreeURL` config option or the `CMD_ALLOW_FREEURL` environment variable to `true`), any user with the appropriate permissions can create a note with an arbitrary alias, e.g. by accessing it in the browser. When MySQL or MariaDB are used, it is possible to create a new note with an alias that matches the lower-cased ID of a different note. HedgeDoc then always presents the new note to users, as these databases perform case-insensitive matching and the lower-cased alias is found first. This issue only affects HedgeDoc instances that use MySQL or MariaDB. Depending on the permission settings of the HedgeDoc instance, the issue can be exploited only by logged-in users or by all (including non-logged-in) users. The exploit requires knowledge of the ID of the target note. Attackers could use this issue to present a manipulated copy of the original note to the user, e.g. by replacing the links with malicious ones. Attackers can also use this issue to prevent access to the original note, causing a denial of service. No data is lost, as the original content of the affected notes is still present in the database. Users are advised to upgrade to version 1.10.0 which addresses this issue. Users unable to upgrade may disable freeURL mode which prevents the exploitation of this issue. The impact can also be limited by restricting freeURL note creation to trusted, logged-in users by enabling `requireFreeURLAuthentication`/`CMD_REQUIRE_FREEURL_AUTHENTICATION`.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- Poc
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
Remediation
- Fix · CNA hedgedoc (hedgedoc) Fixed in 1.10.0
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2024-45308
References
More Hedgedoc vulnerabilities
- TI-2023-19867 HedgeDoc API allows to hide existing notes CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.2
- TI-2021-10188 PDF export allows arbitrary file reads CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 10.0
- TI-2020-16108 Stored XSS in mermaid diagrams CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.7
- TI-2021-10211 Improper Neutralization of Script-Related HTML Tags in Notes CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.1
- TI-2021-16561 XSS vector in slide mode speaker-view CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.1
- TI-2020-16107 Arbitary file upload CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
Sources
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences