GHSA-mw4f-gj5x-6xr4 - Highcharts Core: `javascript:` URL in an `xlink:href` attribute survives text filtering and reaches exported charts
### Impact
The filter applied to markup in text options checks `href`, `src` and a few similar attributes against an allowed-scheme list, but accepts `xlink:href` without that check, so an SVG anchor whose `xlink:href` is a `javascript:` URL passes the filter, whether or not the option is rendered with `useHTML`. In the live page the attribute is written without the XLink namespace, so browsers do not treat the anchor as a link there.
The attribute is preserved verbatim in the chart's serialised output: the SVG produced by the exporting module, including the default SVG download, declares the XLink namespace and contains the anchor, and so does the markup of the chart container. Any document that parses that output again, such as the downloaded SVG opened in a browser or a page that inlines exported or server-rendered chart markup, then holds a working link, and an attacker who controls the chart configuration can thereby run script in the origin of that document when a user activates the link.
Exploitation requires that untrusted data reach a text option such as the title, that the chart be exported or its markup be serialised and parsed again, and that a user activate the link.
### Workarounds
Drop-in fix for all affected versions (10.3.2 - 13.1.0).
Add the below IIFE to run after Highcharts is loaded, before creating a chart.
```
!function(t){var e=t&&t.AST;if(e&&"function"==typeof e.filterUserAttributes&&!e.xlinkHrefPatched){var r=e.filterUserAttributes,n=Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty;e.filterUserAttributes=function(t){return t&&n.call(t,"xlink:href")&&!o(t["xlink:href"])&&delete t["xlink:href"],r.call(this,t)},e.xlinkHrefPatched=!0}function o(t){var r=e.allowedReferences||["https://","http://","mailto:","/","../","./","#"];return"string"==typeof t&&r.some(function(e){return 0===t.indexOf(e)})}}(Highcharts);
```
### Obtaining the patched version
The patched releases are available from all the usual distribution channels. With npm, upgrade the affected pa
HIGH
Severity & confidence
Source severityhigh
Platform severityhigh
Confidenceconfirmed
Exploitationunknown
CVSS-
Affected
VendorshighchartsRed Hat
Productshighcharts
Reporting sources (3)
GitHub Security Advisories
Red Hat - CVE Feed
NIST NVD - National Vulnerability Database
Timeline & provenance
Published2026-10-28T19:55:10
Last updated2026-10-31T18:01:25
Ingested2026-10-28T19:58:59
FreshnessNEAR-REAL-TIME
Threat typeadvisory
Recommended action
Review the advisory and upgrade affected packages to the first patched version.
Next steps
- Identify affected systems in your environment.
- Apply the vendor patch or mitigation guidance.
- Review logs for indicators described in the advisory.
- Follow the affected vendor/product to track updates.
Confidence explanation
This object is reported by 3 independent sources.
Source type: vendor ยท Original: GitHub Security Advisories