Cross-site Scripting (XSS) in open-webui/open-webui

The impact of CVE-2024-8017 is significant due to the potential for complete account compromise. An attacker exploiting this XSS vulnerability can execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the context of a victim's browser session. This allows them to steal sensitive data such as chat history, delete existing conversations, and, crucially, escalate their own privileges to an administrator account if the victim holds such permissions. This privilege escalation represents a severe security risk, enabling attackers to gain full control over the open-webui instance and potentially compromise the entire system it serves. The ability to steal chat history also poses a privacy risk, exposing confidential communications.

Organizations and individuals using open-webui for chat applications, particularly those with administrator accounts, are at significant risk. Shared hosting environments where multiple users share the same open-webui instance are especially vulnerable, as an attacker could potentially compromise all users on the server. Users relying on legacy configurations or outdated security practices are also at increased risk.

• nodejs: Monitor application logs for unusual JavaScript execution patterns or errors related to HTML rendering. Use Node.js security linters to identify potential XSS vulnerabilities in the codebase.

npm audit open-webui

• generic web: Inspect HTTP response headers for Content-Security-Policy (CSP) directives. A missing or weak CSP can increase the risk of XSS attacks.

curl -I https://your-open-webui-instance.com |
 grep -i content-security-policy

1. 2025-03-20Disclosure

   disclosure

1. Reserviert2024-08-20
2. Veröffentlicht2025-03-20
3. EPSS aktualisiert2026-04-02

The primary mitigation for CVE-2024-8017 is to upgrade to a patched version of open-webui. Unfortunately, a specific fixed version is not provided, so users should monitor the open-webui project's release notes for updates. As a temporary workaround, consider implementing strict Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of inline scripts and external resources. Additionally, input validation and output encoding on the affected tooltip generation function can help prevent malicious code injection. After upgrading, verify the fix by attempting to inject a simple XSS payload (e.g., <script>alert(1)</script>) into a tooltip field and confirming that the script does not execute.