CVE-2026-65535 in TinyMCE Templates Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/23/2026
Contributor Sensitive Data Exposure in TinyMCE Templates <= 4.8.1 versions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/23/2026
The vulnerability in TinyMCE templates affects versions prior to 4.8.2 where sensitive data exposure occurs due to improper handling of template content during rendering processes. This issue stems from the template system's failure to adequately sanitize or filter template variables before they are processed and displayed within the editor interface. The flaw allows malicious actors to potentially access sensitive information that should remain protected within template configurations, particularly when templates contain embedded data or references to external resources. Such exposure can occur through various attack vectors including template injection scenarios where crafted inputs bypass normal validation mechanisms. The vulnerability represents a classic case of inadequate input sanitization and output encoding practices that enable unauthorized data disclosure. According to CWE-200, this weakness falls under the category of "Information Exposure" where sensitive information is accessible to unauthorized actors. The impact extends beyond simple data leakage as it can potentially expose system configurations, user credentials, or other confidential elements embedded within template structures. Attackers leveraging this vulnerability could exploit it through various means including cross-site scripting attacks or by manipulating template parameters to extract protected information.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the template processing pipeline where template variables are substituted without proper validation of their contents. When templates contain dynamic elements or references to external data sources, the rendering engine fails to adequately separate template logic from sensitive content. This creates opportunities for attackers to inject malicious payloads that can be executed within the template context or to extract information through crafted template inputs. The flaw manifests when user-supplied template parameters are directly rendered without sufficient sanitization, allowing special characters and executable code sequences to propagate into the final output. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers "Phishing" and related social engineering attacks that can exploit such information exposure weaknesses to gather intelligence about target systems. The processing of template content in versions prior to 4.8.2 does not implement proper context-aware encoding or validation mechanisms for template variables, creating a pathway for attackers to access sensitive data through template manipulation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends across multiple security domains affecting both application integrity and user privacy protection. Organizations utilizing TinyMCE templates may experience unauthorized access to confidential information including administrative credentials, system configurations, or business-sensitive data that resides within template structures. The exposure can occur during normal editor operations when users load or preview templates containing vulnerable elements, making the attack surface broader than initially apparent. This vulnerability particularly affects web applications that rely heavily on template-based content generation where templates may contain embedded references to databases, APIs, or other sensitive resources. The security implications include potential escalation of privileges if template data contains system-level information or access tokens. Additionally, the vulnerability can contribute to compliance violations in environments subject to data protection regulations such as gdpr or pci dss where unauthorized data exposure constitutes regulatory breaches.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve immediate upgrading to TinyMCE version 4.8.2 or later where proper sanitization and validation mechanisms have been implemented. Organizations should conduct comprehensive audits of their template configurations to identify any potentially vulnerable content that may have been exposed through earlier versions. The remediation process requires implementing proper input validation and output encoding for all template variables, ensuring that dynamic content is properly escaped before rendering. Security teams should also consider implementing additional monitoring for unusual template access patterns or attempts to manipulate template parameters that could indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments of template systems should include checks for similar vulnerabilities in third-party components and custom implementations. According to industry best practices and nist guidelines for secure coding, proper template sanitization includes context-aware escaping, input validation, and output encoding mechanisms that prevent unauthorized data access through template processing pipelines. Organizations should also establish incident response procedures specifically designed to handle information exposure incidents related to template systems.