CVE-2021-29475
PDF export allows arbitrary file reads
HedgeDoc (formerly known as CodiMD) is an open-source collaborative markdown editor. An attacker is able to receive arbitrary files from the file system when exporting a note to PDF. Since the code injection has to take place as note content, there fore this exploit requires the attackers ability to modify a note. This will affect all instances, which have pdf export enabled. This issue has been fixed by https://github.com/hedgedoc/hedgedoc/commit/c1789474020a6d668d616464cb2da5e90e123f65 and is available in version 1.5.0. Starting the CodiMD/HedgeDoc instance with CMD_ALLOW_PDF_EXPORT=false or set "allowPDFExport": false in config.json can mitigate this issue for those who cannot upgrade. This exploit works because while PhantomJS doesn't actually render the file:/// references to the PDF file itself, it still uses them internally, and exfiltration is possible, and easy through JavaScript rendering. The impact is pretty bad, as the attacker is able to read the CodiMD/HedgeDoc config.json file as well any other files on the filesystem. Even though the suggested Docker deploy option doesn't have many interesting files itself, the config.json still often contains sensitive information, database credentials, and maybe OAuth secrets among other things.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
10.0
PDF export allows arbitrary file reads
HedgeDoc (formerly known as CodiMD) is an open-source collaborative markdown editor. An attacker is able to receive arbitrary files from the file system when exporting a note to PDF. Since the code injection has to take place as note content, there fore this exploit requires the attackers ability to modify a note. This will affect all instances, which have pdf export enabled. This issue has been fixed by https://github.com/hedgedoc/hedgedoc/commit/c1789474020a6d668d616464cb2da5e90e123f65 and is available in version 1.5.0. Starting the CodiMD/HedgeDoc instance with CMD_ALLOW_PDF_EXPORT=false or set "allowPDFExport": false in config.json can mitigate this issue for those who cannot upgrade. This exploit works because while PhantomJS doesn't actually render the file:/// references to the PDF file itself, it still uses them internally, and exfiltration is possible, and easy through JavaScript rendering. The impact is pretty bad, as the attacker is able to read the CodiMD/HedgeDoc config.json file as well any other files on the filesystem. Even though the suggested Docker deploy option doesn't have many interesting files itself, the config.json still often contains sensitive information, database credentials, and maybe OAuth secrets among other things.
- Record
CVE-2021-29475- CVSS 3.1
- 10.0 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-94, CWE-918
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2021-16083
10.0
HedgeDoc (formerly known as CodiMD) is an open-source collaborative markdown editor. An attacker is able to receive arbitrary files from the file system when exporting a note to PDF. Since the code injection has to take place as note content, there fore this exploit requires the attackers ability to modify a note. This will affect all instances, which have pdf export enabled. This issue has been fixed by https://github.com/hedgedoc/hedgedoc/commit/c1789474020a6d668d616464cb2da5e90e123f65 and is available in version 1.5.0. Starting the CodiMD/HedgeDoc instance with CMD_ALLOW_PDF_EXPORT=false or set "allowPDFExport": false in config.json can mitigate this issue for those who cannot upgrade. This exploit works because while PhantomJS doesn't actually render the file:/// references to the PDF file itself, it still uses them internally, and exfiltration is possible, and easy through JavaScript rendering. The impact is pretty bad, as the attacker is able to read the CodiMD/HedgeDoc config.json file as well any other files on the filesystem. Even though the suggested Docker deploy option doesn't have many interesting files itself, the config.json still often contains sensitive information, database credentials, and maybe OAuth secrets among other things.
- Record
EUVD-2021-16083- CVSS 3.1
- 10.0 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-03
NVD
10.0
HedgeDoc (formerly known as CodiMD) is an open-source collaborative markdown editor. An attacker is able to receive arbitrary files from the file system when exporting a note to PDF. Since the code injection has to take place as note content, there fore this exploit requires the attackers ability to modify a note. This will affect all instances, which have pdf export enabled. This issue has been fixed by https://github.com/hedgedoc/hedgedoc/commit/c1789474020a6d668d616464cb2da5e90e123f65 and is available in version 1.5.0. Starting the CodiMD/HedgeDoc instance with CMD_ALLOW_PDF_EXPORT=false or set "allowPDFExport": false in config.json can mitigate this issue for those who cannot upgrade. This exploit works because while PhantomJS doesn't actually render the file:/// references to the PDF file itself, it still uses them internally, and exfiltration is possible, and easy through JavaScript rendering. The impact is pretty bad, as the attacker is able to read the CodiMD/HedgeDoc config.json file as well any other files on the filesystem. Even though the suggested Docker deploy option doesn't have many interesting files itself, the config.json still often contains sensitive information, database credentials, and maybe OAuth secrets among other things.
- Record
CVE-2021-29475- CVSS 3.1
- 10.0 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N - CVSS 2.0
- 5.8 Medium
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-94, CWE-918
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
10.0
HedgeDoc (formerly known as CodiMD) is an open-source collaborative markdown editor. An attacker is able to receive arbitrary files from the file system when exporting a note to PDF. Since the code injection has to take place as note content, there fore this exploit requires the attackers ability to modify a note. This will affect all instances, which have pdf export enabled. This issue has been fixed by https://github.com/hedgedoc/hedgedoc/commit/c1789474020a6d668d616464cb2da5e90e123f65 and is available in version 1.5.0. Starting the CodiMD/HedgeDoc instance with CMD_ALLOW_PDF_EXPORT=false or set "allowPDFExport": false in config.json can mitigate this issue for those who cannot upgrade. This exploit works because while PhantomJS doesn't actually render the file:/// references to the PDF file itself, it still uses them internally, and exfiltration is possible, and easy through JavaScript rendering. The impact is pretty bad, as the attacker is able to read the CodiMD/HedgeDoc config.json file as well any other files on the filesystem. Even though the suggested Docker deploy option doesn't have many interesting files itself, the config.json still often contains sensitive information, database credentials, and maybe OAuth secrets among other things.
- Record
CVE-2021-29475- CVSS 3.1
- 10.0 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2021-29475 is a critical vulnerability (CVSS 10.0) in Hedgedoc, published April 26, 2021. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.16%, the 67th percentile. No source names a fixed version.