CVE-2025-71464 in angular-editor
Summary
by MITRE • 11/14/2026
@kolkov/angular-editor before 3.0.4 contains a cross-site scripting vulnerability in toggleEditorMode() that assigns source view text to innerHTML without DomSanitizer sanitization. Attackers can induce users to paste HTML with event handlers such as img onerror into source mode, executing script in the application's origin when toggling views.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/14/2026
The identified security flaw resides within the angular-editor library prior to version 3.0.4 and specifically impacts the toggleEditorMode function. This vulnerability stems from a critical implementation error where raw HTML content is assigned directly to an element's innerHTML property without undergoing proper sanitization via DomSanitizer or equivalent mechanisms. In modern web application development, particularly within frameworks like Angular that employ strict context-based security models, bypassing these built-in safeguards exposes the client-side environment to severe risks. The core technical deficiency lies in the failure to validate and sanitize user-supplied input before rendering it as trusted HTML content, thereby allowing malicious payloads to persist and execute when the editor switches between visual and source modes.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability enables a stored or reflected cross-site scripting attack vector depending on how the application utilizes the library. An attacker can craft a malicious payload containing executable JavaScript code embedded within event handlers, such as img tags with onerror attributes, script blocks, or other active content mechanisms. By inducing a victim user to paste this HTML into the editor's source mode, the attacker ensures that when the interface toggles back to visual editing mode, the browser interprets and executes the injected scripts within the context of the application’s origin. This execution environment grants the malicious code full access to cookies, session tokens, local storage data, and other sensitive user-specific information associated with the vulnerable domain.
The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution. It facilitates unauthorized actions on behalf of the authenticated user, potentially leading to account takeover if session management is compromised. Attackers can also perform phishing attacks by modifying the page content dynamically or redirecting users to malicious sites that mimic legitimate interfaces. Furthermore, because the attack relies on social engineering tactics such as tricking users into pasting specific text, it bypasses many traditional network-based security controls and firewalls that do not inspect client-side DOM manipulation events. The persistence of this risk is significant for applications relying heavily on rich text editing capabilities where user input is rendered dynamically without rigorous server-side or client-side validation pipelines.
To mitigate this vulnerability, developers must immediately upgrade the angular-editor library to version 3.0.4 or later, as these updates include necessary patches addressing the sanitization oversight. For environments unable to update immediately due to dependency constraints, a temporary workaround involves implementing custom sanitization logic before any HTML content is assigned to innerHTML properties. This can be achieved by leveraging Angular’s built-in DomSanitizer service to explicitly mark trusted HTML only after thorough validation or by using alternative rendering methods that do not bypass security contexts. Additionally, enforcing strict Content Security Policy headers with nonces or hashes for inline scripts can provide an additional layer of defense, although it does not replace the need for fixing the underlying code flaw.
This vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation commonly known as Cross-site Scripting within industry standards such as OWASP Top 10 and Common Weakness Enumeration frameworks. In terms of adversary behavior mapping, it aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter where attackers use client-side scripts to execute commands or exfiltrate data. The exploitation path also reflects aspects of T1204 User Execution as the attack requires user interaction to paste malicious content into the editor interface. Addressing this issue is critical for maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of web applications that depend on rich text editing functionalities, ensuring that user input does not become a vector for compromising application security posture.