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CVE-2023-26486

Vega `scale` expression function cross site scripting

6.5 MediumFix available

Vega is a visualization grammar, a declarative format for creating, saving, and sharing interactive visualization designs. The Vega scale expression function has the ability to call arbitrary functions with a single controlled argument. The scale expression function passes a user supplied argument group to getScale, which is then used as if it were an internal context. The context.scales[name].value is accessed from group and called as a function back in scale. This can be exploited to escape the Vega expression sandbox in order to execute arbitrary JavaScript. This issue has been fixed in version 5.13.1.

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
Low
Integrity
Low
Availability
None

Exploit likelihood

0.78%Down 0.2 points since Mar 4, 2023
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 6.5

Vega `scale` expression function cross site scripting

Vega is a visualization grammar, a declarative format for creating, saving, and sharing interactive visualization designs. The Vega scale expression function has the ability to call arbitrary functions with a single controlled argument. The scale expression function passes a user supplied argument group to getScale, which is then used as if it were an internal context. The context.scales[name].value is accessed from group and called as a function back in scale. This can be exploited to escape the Vega expression sandbox in order to execute arbitrary JavaScript. This issue has been fixed in version 5.13.1.

Record
CVE-2023-26486
CVSS 3.1
6.5 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
Weakness
CWE-79
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2023-0871 6.5

Vega is a visualization grammar, a declarative format for creating, saving, and sharing interactive visualization designs. The Vega scale expression function has the ability to call arbitrary functions with a single controlled argument. The scale expression function passes a user supplied argument group to getScale, which is then used as if it were an internal context. The context.scales[name].value is accessed from group and called as a function back in scale. This can be exploited to escape the Vega expression sandbox in order to execute arbitrary JavaScript. This issue has been fixed in version 5.13.1.

Record
EUVD-2023-0871
CVSS 3.1
6.5 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
Updated
2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-4vq7-882g-wcg4 6.1

Vega Expression Language `scale` expression function Cross Site Scripting

Summary

The Vega scale expression function has the ability to call arbitrary functions with a single controlled argument. This can be exploited to escape the Vega expression sandbox in order to execute arbitrary JavaScript.

Details

The scale expression function passes a user supplied argument group to getScale, which is then used as if it were an internal context. The context.scales[name].value is accessed from group and called as a function back in scale.

PoC

The following Vega definition can be used to demonstrate this issue executing the JavaScript code alert(1);

{
  "$schema": "https://vega.github.io/schema/vega/v5.json",
  "data": [
    {
      "name": "XSS PoC",
      "values": [1],
      "transform": [
        {
          "type": "formula",
          "as": "amount",
          "expr": "scale('func', null,  {context: {scales: {func: {value: scale('func', 'eval(atob(\"YWxlcnQoMSk7\"))', {context: {scales: {func: {value: [].constructor.constructor}}}})}}}})"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

This can be viewed in the Vega online IDE at https://vega.github.io/editor/#/url/vega/N4IgJAzgxgFgpgWwIYgFwhgF0wBwqgegIDc4BzJAOjIEtMYBXAI0poHsDp5kTykSArJQBWENgDsQAGhAATJJhSoA2qHFIEcNCAAaAZT0ACAApsAwtJDEkAGwZwIaZQEYAujMwAnJOIgAzNk8EJ1BMAE8cLXQAoIYbFBkkR3QNNgZxTEs4AA8cT21oWzgACgByP3SoUqlDcTibGsNgKAlMHMxUJsKbB07gCvEoPus7OE7ukvLK6sNSuBHihTYmYoAdEABNAHVsmyhxAEU2AFk9AGsAdnWASmuZ5tb2von8JoGhppH7TuVXShbfF4GFBMIF-hIIECQYEAL5wmHXeEIkAw1yomFAA

Record
GHSA-4vq7-882g-wcg4
CVSS 3.1
6.1 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Weakness
CWE-79
Updated
2026-11-02
NVD 6.5

Vega is a visualization grammar, a declarative format for creating, saving, and sharing interactive visualization designs. The Vega scale expression function has the ability to call arbitrary functions with a single controlled argument. The scale expression function passes a user supplied argument group to getScale, which is then used as if it were an internal context. The context.scales[name].value is accessed from group and called as a function back in scale. This can be exploited to escape the Vega expression sandbox in order to execute arbitrary JavaScript. This issue has been fixed in version 5.13.1.

Record
CVE-2023-26486
CVSS 3.1
6.5 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
CVSS 3.1
6.1 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Weakness
CWE-79
Updated
2026-11-02
OSV 6.5

Vega `scale` expression function cross site scripting

Vega is a visualization grammar, a declarative format for creating, saving, and sharing interactive visualization designs. The Vega scale expression function has the ability to call arbitrary functions with a single controlled argument. The scale expression function passes a user supplied argument group to getScale, which is then used as if it were an internal context. The context.scales[name].value is accessed from group and called as a function back in scale. This can be exploited to escape the Vega expression sandbox in order to execute arbitrary JavaScript. This issue has been fixed in version 5.13.1.

Record
CVE-2023-26486
CVSS 3.1
6.5 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
Weakness
CWE-79
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2023-26486 6.1

Vega is a visualization grammar, a declarative format for creating, saving, and sharing interactive visualization designs. The Vega scale expression function has the ability to call arbitrary functions with a single controlled argument. The scale expression function passes a user supplied argument group to getScale, which is then used as if it were an internal context. The context.scales[name].value is accessed from group and called as a function back in scale. This can be exploited to escape the Vega expression sandbox in order to execute arbitrary JavaScript. This issue has been fixed in version 5.13.1.

Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2023-26486
CVSS 3.1
6.1 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-4vq7-882g-wcg4 6.1

Vega Expression Language `scale` expression function Cross Site Scripting

Summary

The Vega scale expression function has the ability to call arbitrary functions with a single controlled argument. This can be exploited to escape the Vega expression sandbox in order to execute arbitrary JavaScript.

Details

The scale expression function passes a user supplied argument group to getScale, which is then used as if it were an internal context. The context.scales[name].value is accessed from group and called as a function back in scale.

PoC

The following Vega definition can be used to demonstrate this issue executing the JavaScript code alert(1);

{
  "$schema": "https://vega.github.io/schema/vega/v5.json",
  "data": [
    {
      "name": "XSS PoC",
      "values": [1],
      "transform": [
        {
          "type": "formula",
          "as": "amount",
          "expr": "scale('func', null,  {context: {scales: {func: {value: scale('func', 'eval(atob(\"YWxlcnQoMSk7\"))', {context: {scales: {func: {value: [].constructor.constructor}}}})}}}})"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

This can be viewed in the Vega online IDE at https://vega.github.io/editor/#/url/vega/N4IgJAzgxgFgpgWwIYgFwhgF0wBwqgegIDc4BzJAOjIEtMYBXAI0poHsDp5kTykSArJQBWENgDsQAGhAATJJhSoA2qHFIEcNCAAaAZT0ACAApsAwtJDEkAGwZwIaZQEYAujMwAnJOIgAzNk8EJ1BMAE8cLXQAoIYbFBkkR3QNNgZxTEs4AA8cT21oWzgACgByP3SoUqlDcTibGsNgKAlMHMxUJsKbB07gCvEoPus7OE7ukvLK6sNSuBHihTYmYoAdEABNAHVsmyhxAEU2AFk9AGsAdnWASmuZ5tb2von8JoGhppH7TuVXShbfF4GFBMIF-hIIECQYEAL5wmHXeEIkAw1yomFAA

Record
GHSA-4vq7-882g-wcg4
CVSS 3.1
6.1 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Weakness
CWE-79
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
vega-functions
npm
before 5.13.1
5.13.1
vega
npm
before 5.23.0
5.23.0
vega.js
Debian:12
All versions, plus listed versions
5.22.1+ds+~3.1.0-45.25.0+ds+~cs5.3.0-15.25.0+ds+~cs5.3.0-25.25.0+ds+~cs5.3.0-35.25.0+ds+~cs5.3.0-4
Show 8 moreShow less
5.25.0+ds+~cs5.3.0-55.28.0+ds+~cs5.3.0-15.28.0+ds+~cs5.3.0-25.28.0+ds+~cs5.3.0-35.33.1+ds+~cs5.3.0-15.33.1+ds+~cs5.3.0-25.33.1+ds+~cs5.3.0-35.33.1+ds+~cs5.3.0-4
None known
vega.js
Debian:13
before 5.25.0+ds+~cs5.3.0-1
5.25.0+ds+~cs5.3.0-1
vega.js
Debian:14
before 5.25.0+ds+~cs5.3.0-1
5.25.0+ds+~cs5.3.0-1

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
first indexedCVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2023-26486 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 6.5) in Vega, published March 2, 2023. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.78%, the 55th percentile. Fixed in vega-functions 5.13.1.

References

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