Cross-site scripting in VNote YAML frontmatter exposes local files
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Cross-site scripting
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · Low · None
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-79.
Summary
VNote, a note-taking platform, is affected before 4.3.0. Its Markdown renderer assigns YAML frontmatter with innerHTML before sanitization runs, which is a cross-site scripting flaw (CWE-79). An attacker who supplies a crafted Markdown note can run JavaScript when a user opens it, and the script can read reachable local note files and send their contents to a remote server without further interaction.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-29
Description from the CNA
VNote is a note-taking platform. Prior to 4.3.0, VNote uses the assignment `preNode.innerHTML = p_metaData` in src/data/extra/web/js/markdownit.js to insert YAML frontmatter metadata into a pre element before the protectFromXss sanitization path runs. Opening an attacker-supplied Markdown note can therefore execute stored JavaScript in the file:// viewer context. Because QWebEngineSettings::LocalContentCanAccessRemoteUrls enables local content to access remote URLs, the script can read reachable local note files and transmit their contents to a remote server without further interaction after the note is opened. This issue is fixed in version 4.3.0.
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
Update VNote to version 4.3.0, which fixes this issue.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-29
- Fix · CNA vnote (vnotex) Fixed in 4.3.0
Timeline
- 2026-10-13 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-86016
- 2026-10-14 Priority changed: MEDIUM → LOW
- 2026-10-29 CISA SSVC decision points changed
- 2026-10-29 Priority changed: LOW → HIGH
References
More vnotex vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-73521 VNote argument injection enables command execution via note filenames CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.0
- TI-2024-26798 Code Execution Vulnerability via Local File Path Traversal in Vnote CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2026-13044 vnotex vnote YAML Frontmatter markdownit.js cross site scripting CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 5.1
Sources
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences