CVE-2026-61825 in Sharp
Summary
by MITRE • 09/24/2026
code16 Sharp is a Laravel-based framework for building content-management and administrative interfaces. Versions before 9.22.5 contain a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability in `SharpEditorFormField`: attacker-controlled content bearing the `data-html-content` attribute can bypass HTML sanitization and preserve executable markup, which may execute when another user views the stored content. The vendor identifies version 9.22.5 as patched; applications that intentionally enable `SharpFormEditorField::RAW_HTML` must continue to sanitize editor content themselves. As a workaround, applications should sanitize all editor content before storing or rendering it, for example with Symfony HtmlSanitizer, and disable RAW_HTML functionality where it is not required.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/24/2026
The vulnerability identified in Sharp 16, specifically within versions prior to 9.22.5, represents a significant security risk due to its nature as a stored cross-site scripting flaw embedded within the SharpEditorFormField component of this Laravel-based framework. This framework is widely utilized for constructing content-management systems and administrative interfaces, making it a critical infrastructure element in many web applications. The core technical defect lies in the handling of user-supplied input that includes the data-html-content attribute. When an attacker injects malicious script payloads disguised as legitimate HTML content through this specific attribute, the application fails to adequately sanitize or escape these inputs before storing them in the database. Consequently, when another authorized user subsequently views or interacts with this stored content within the administrative interface, the browser interprets and executes the embedded scripts. This execution occurs within the context of the victim's session, allowing the attacker to potentially hijack user sessions, steal sensitive cookies, perform actions on behalf of the victim, or deface the application interface.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability is classified under CWE-79, which denotes Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation commonly known as Cross-site Scripting. The specific mechanism involves a failure to properly validate and sanitize rich text input that contains HTML attributes intended for rendering purposes. By bypassing the existing sanitization filters through the data-html-content attribute, the attacker exploits the trust relationship between the user's browser and the web application. This is further contextualized by MITRE ATT&CK technique T1059, Command and Scripting Interpreter, as the executed JavaScript can be used to run arbitrary commands or scripts within the client-side environment. The stored nature of this XSS means that the malicious payload persists on the server side, increasing the blast radius beyond a single interaction and potentially affecting multiple users over an extended period without further action from the attacker.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe for organizations relying on Sharp 16 for their administrative workflows. Since the attack vector targets other users viewing stored content, it can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data managed within the CMS or admin panel. Attackers can use session hijacking techniques to impersonate administrators, thereby gaining full control over the application's configuration and user management features. This could result in data exfiltration, modification of critical business records, or the deployment of further malware through subsequent phishing campaigns initiated from a position of trust within the system. The integrity of the content management process is compromised, as attackers can inject misleading or harmful information that appears legitimate to end-users viewing the published content.
To mitigate this vulnerability, immediate action is required for all applications using Sharp versions earlier than 9.22.5. The vendor has released version 9.22.5 which addresses these sanitization issues and should be upgraded as soon as possible. For environments where upgrading is not immediately feasible or for specific use cases that require the RAW_HTML functionality via SharpFormEditorField::RAW_HTML, it is imperative to implement robust input validation and output encoding strategies at the application layer. Developers must ensure that all editor content is sanitized before being stored in the database using trusted libraries such as Symfony HtmlSanitizer. This library provides comprehensive protection against XSS by stripping out dangerous tags and attributes while preserving safe HTML structures. Additionally, organizations should review their configuration settings to disable RAW_HTML functionality wherever it is not strictly necessary for business operations, thereby reducing the attack surface. Regular security audits and code reviews focusing on input handling in rich text editors are also recommended to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced in future development cycles.