CVE-2026-53578

Received Received - Intake

Cross-Site Scripting in Trilium Notes via Mind Map Import

Publication date: 2026-08-27

Last updated on: 2026-08-27

Assigner: GitHub, Inc.

Description

Trilium is an open-source hierarchical note-taking application. In versions up to and including 0.103.0, the default-on "Safe import" filter sanitizes HTML only for text notes and excludes the mindMap note type, whose JSON content is stored without sanitization, allowing an attacker-supplied import archive to embed a payload that renders as arbitrary HTML. A mind map node can carry a dangerouslySetInnerHTML property that the Mind Elixir library assigns directly to a node's innerHTML, so a malicious note survives Safe import and executes script as soon as the victim opens the imported mind map. On the desktop client the Electron renderer runs with Node integration enabled, so the injected JavaScript escalates from cross-site scripting to full remote code execution on the victim's machine. This issue is fixed in version 0.104.0.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

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Meta Information

Published

2026-08-27

Last Modified

2026-08-27

Generated

2026-08-28

AI Q&A

2026-08-28

EPSS Evaluated

N/A

NVD

CVE-2026-53578

Affected Vendors & Products

Vendor	Product	Version / Range
trilium	trilium	to 0.103.0 (inc)
trilium	trilium	0.104.0

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE

KEV

CWE ID	Description
CWE-94	The product constructs all or part of a code segment using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the syntax or behavior of the intended code segment.
CWE-79	The product does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes user-controllable input before it is placed in output that is used as a web page that is served to other users.

Attack-Flow Graph

Executive Summary

Trilium versions up to 0.103.0 have a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in mind map notes. The Safe Import filter sanitizes HTML for text notes but not for mind map notes, which store JSON content without sanitization. Attackers can embed malicious scripts in mind map nodes via the dangerouslySetInnerHTML property. When a victim opens the imported mind map, the script executes, potentially leading to remote code execution on the desktop client due to Electron's Node integration.

Detection Guidance

To detect this vulnerability, check if your Trilium version is 0.103.0 or earlier. Inspect imported mind map notes for suspicious HTML properties like dangerouslySetInnerHTML or script tags. Review logs for unexpected script executions in the Electron renderer process.

Impact Analysis

If you use Trilium versions 0.103.0 or earlier, an attacker could trick you into importing a malicious note file. Opening the imported mind map would execute arbitrary code on your machine, compromising your system's confidentiality, integrity, and availability. This could allow the attacker to access sensitive data, install malware, or take control of your device.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, violating GDPR's data protection principles and HIPAA's security requirements. A successful exploit may result in data breaches, exposing personal or health information, leading to legal penalties, reputational damage, and loss of compliance certifications.

Mitigation Strategies

Upgrade Trilium to version 0.104.0 or later immediately. Disable Safe Import temporarily if possible. Avoid importing untrusted note files, especially mind maps. Monitor for unusual activity in the application or system.

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