CVE-2022-47194 in Ghost
Summary
by MITRE • 01/19/2023
An insecure default vulnerability exists in the Post Creation functionality of Ghost Foundation Ghost 5.9.4. Default installations of Ghost allow non-administrator users to inject arbitrary Javascript in posts, which allow privilege escalation to administrator via XSS. To trigger this vulnerability, an attacker can send an HTTP request to inject Javascript in a post to trick an administrator into visiting the post.A stored XSS vulnerability exists in the `twitter` field for a user.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/05/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-47194 represents a critical security flaw within the Ghost blogging platform version 5.9.4, specifically affecting the post creation functionality. This insecure default configuration allows non-administrator users to inject malicious javascript code into blog posts, creating a privilege escalation pathway that can ultimately lead to administrative control of the entire system. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly filter user-supplied content before it is stored and subsequently rendered to other users.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a stored cross-site scripting attack vector where malicious javascript code is embedded within the content of blog posts. When an administrator visits a post containing this injected code, the javascript executes in their browser context, potentially enabling attackers to steal session cookies, perform actions on behalf of the administrator, or gain full administrative privileges. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it leverages the trust relationship between the platform and its users, allowing low-privilege attackers to escalate their privileges through social engineering tactics that trick administrators into visiting malicious content.
This security flaw directly maps to CWE-79 which defines cross-site scripting vulnerabilities as a critical weakness in web applications where untrusted data is improperly handled and executed in client browsers. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript" and T1548.005 for "Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism: Security Software Discovery" as attackers can leverage the XSS to execute malicious scripts and potentially discover system security controls. The stored nature of this XSS vulnerability means that the malicious code persists in the database and can affect multiple administrators over time, amplifying the attack surface and impact.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation to include potential data theft, unauthorized content modification, and complete system compromise. Attackers can use this vulnerability to access sensitive user information, modify blog content, install backdoors, or even use the compromised administrator account to launch further attacks against other systems within the organization's network. The default installation configuration that allows such injections without proper sanitization represents a fundamental security misconfiguration that violates security best practices for web application development.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to a patched version of Ghost, implementing comprehensive input sanitization for all user-supplied content, and establishing proper access controls to restrict post creation privileges. Additional defensive measures should include regular security audits, content security policy implementations, and user education about the risks of visiting untrusted blog content. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and the principle of least privilege in web application security, as even seemingly benign functionality can become a gateway for severe security breaches when inadequate safeguards are in place.