How severe is CVE-2021-39946?

CVE-2021-39946 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.7, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability none.

Is CVE-2021-39946 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (60th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-39946?

CVE-2021-39946 primarily affects Gitlab. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-39946?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2021-39946 published?

CVE-2021-39946 was published on 2022-01-18 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-39946

CVE-2021-39946 is a high-severity vulnerability in Gitlab with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.7. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-79.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 8.7)
CVSS v2: 3.5
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (60th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-79
Affected product: Gitlab
Published: 2022-01-18
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Improper neutralization of user input in GitLab CE/EE versions 14.3 to 14.3.6, 14.4 to 14.4.4, and 14.5 to 14.5.2 allowed an attacker to exploit XSS by abusing the generation of the HTML code related to emojis

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-39946?: Improper neutralization of user input in GitLab CE/EE versions 14.3 to 14.3.6, 14.4 to 14.4.4, and 14.5 to 14.5.2 allowed an attacker to exploit XSS by abusing the generation of the HTML code related to emojis
How severe is CVE-2021-39946?: CVE-2021-39946 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.7, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability none.
Is CVE-2021-39946 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (60th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-39946?: CVE-2021-39946 primarily affects Gitlab. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-39946?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2021-39946 published?: CVE-2021-39946 was published on 2022-01-18 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:gitlab:gitlab:*:*:*:*:community:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:gitlab:gitlab:*:*:*:*:enterprise:*:*:*

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