{"id":"CVE-2022-42948","published":"2023-03-24T14:15:09Z","modified":"2026-06-17T05:05:39Z","title":"Fortra Cobalt Strike User Interface Remote Code Execution Vulnerability","vendor":"Fortra","product":"Cobalt Strike","tier":"core","eol":null,"description":{"text":"Cobalt Strike 4.7.1 fails to properly escape HTML tags when they are displayed on Swing components. By injecting crafted HTML code, it is possible to remotely execute code in the Cobalt Strike UI.","provenance":"source","from":"NVD"},"summary":{"text":"Fortra Cobalt Strike 4.7.1 fails to properly escape HTML tags rendered in its Swing user interface components. An attacker can inject crafted HTML to execute code within the Cobalt Strike UI remotely, without authentication, user interaction, or special configuration.","provenance":"ai","model":"claude-haiku-5-5","generatedAt":"2026-10-23T07:13:38Z"},"cvss":{"score":9.8,"severity":"CRITICAL","version":"3.1","vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","provenance":"source","from":"NVD"},"epss":{"score":0.02706,"percentile":0.85926,"date":"2026-10-29","provenance":"source"},"kev":{"dateAdded":"2023-03-30","dueDate":"2023-04-20","ransomware":false,"requiredAction":"Apply updates per vendor instructions.","notes":"https://www.cobaltstrike.com/blog/out-of-band-update-cobalt-strike-4-7-2/;  https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-42948","provenance":"source"},"vulncheckKev":{"dateAdded":"2023-03-30","exploitedFirstSeen":"2023-03-30","ransomware":false,"evidence":[{"url":"https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json","date":"2023-03-30"}],"evidenceTotal":1,"provenance":"source"},"exploited":true,"otx":{"pulseCount":50,"pulses":[{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 29, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ae20c1db17e7057ae7d9ad1","created":"2026-10-28"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 28, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ae0ba7e0e2a97ff7b218819","created":"2026-10-27"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 27, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6adf68b85c3e852f3c111d18","created":"2026-10-26"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 24, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6adb740e397c3ad4799aa4cd","created":"2026-10-23"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 23, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ada236fcfba2dfa730ea482","created":"2026-10-22"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 22, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad8d33a077cbb5cab524d80","created":"2026-10-21"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 21, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad78130c4d1ac2be83a8b6d","created":"2026-10-20"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 20, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad62f63c24a405a3423cc13","created":"2026-10-19"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 19, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad4dda174e5797d0bd238b7","created":"2026-10-18"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 18, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad38c22e1848f8189d1c121","created":"2026-10-17"}],"provenance":"machine"},"cwes":[{"id":"CWE-116","name":"Improper Encoding or Escaping of Output"},{"id":"CWE-79","name":"Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation"}],"references":[{"url":"https://thesecmaster.com/how-to-fix-cve-2022-42948-a-critical-rce-vulnerability-in-cobalt-strike/","tags":["Technical Description","Third Party Advisory"]},{"url":"https://www.cobaltstrike.com/blog/","tags":["Vendor Advisory"]},{"url":"https://www.redpacketsecurity.com/helpsystems-cobalt-strike-code-execution-cve-2022-42948/","tags":["Third Party Advisory"]},{"url":"https://thesecmaster.com/how-to-fix-cve-2022-42948-a-critical-rce-vulnerability-in-cobalt-strike/","tags":["Technical Description","Third Party Advisory"]},{"url":"https://www.cobaltstrike.com/blog/","tags":["Vendor Advisory"]},{"url":"https://www.redpacketsecurity.com/helpsystems-cobalt-strike-code-execution-cve-2022-42948/","tags":["Third Party Advisory"]},{"url":"https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2022-42948","tags":["US Government Resource"]}],"techniques":[{"id":"T1190","name":"Exploit Public-Facing Application","tactics":["initial-access"],"provenance":"source","basis":"ctid-kev","bases":["ctid-kev"],"basisDetail":"CTID Mappings Explorer KEV 07/28/2025 (ATT&CK 16.1); capability: Code Execution","mappingType":"exploitation_technique","evidence":[],"comment":"This vulnerability is exploited by a remote, unauthenticated attacker. The vulnerability is caused by improper escaping of HTML tags in Swing components. This flaw allows the attacker to inject crafted HTML code, enabling them to execute code within the Cobalt Strike UI. Exploitation can occur through a graphical file explorer menu, allowing attackers to perform unauthorized operations on the administrative interface.","confidence":"medium","confidenceNote":"CTID KEV capability group \"code execution\" is generic"},{"id":"T1059","name":"Command and Scripting Interpreter","tactics":["execution"],"provenance":"source","basis":"ctid-kev","bases":["ctid-kev"],"basisDetail":"CTID Mappings Explorer KEV 07/28/2025 (ATT&CK 16.1); capability: Code Execution","mappingType":"primary_impact","evidence":[],"comment":"This vulnerability is exploited by a remote, unauthenticated attacker. The vulnerability is caused by improper escaping of HTML tags in Swing components. This flaw allows the attacker to inject crafted HTML code, enabling them to execute code within the Cobalt Strike UI. Exploitation can occur through a graphical file explorer menu, allowing attackers to perform unauthorized operations on the administrative interface.","confidence":"medium","confidenceNote":"CTID KEV capability group \"code execution\" is generic"}],"reports":[],"affected":[],"advisories":[],"euvd":{"id":"EUVD-2022-46004","url":"https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/vulnerability/EUVD-2022-46004","exploited":true,"exploitedSince":"2023-03-30","provenance":"source"},"exploits":[],"exploitSources":null,"exploitRefs":[],"flow":[{"stage":"exploitation","techniques":["T1190"],"provenance":"source"},{"stage":"primary","techniques":["T1059"],"provenance":"source"}],"timeline":[{"date":"2023-03-24","kind":"published","label":"Published (NVD)","url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-42948","provenance":"source"},{"date":"2023-03-30","kind":"exploited-reported","label":"Exploitation first reported (VulnCheck KEV evidence)","url":"https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json","provenance":"source"},{"date":"2023-03-30","kind":"kev","label":"Added to CISA KEV","url":"https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog","provenance":"source"},{"date":"2023-03-30","kind":"euvd-exploited","label":"ENISA EUVD: exploited","url":"https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/vulnerability/EUVD-2022-46004","provenance":"source"}],"speed":{"daysToPublicExploit":null,"firstExploitFrom":null,"daysToKev":6},"priority":{"score":62.0,"factors":[{"name":"In a KEV catalog","points":35.0,"detail":"listed in CISA KEV and VulnCheck KEV"},{"name":"Recent KEV listing","points":0.0,"detail":"added 1309 days ago"},{"name":"Known ransomware use","points":0.0,"detail":"not known"},{"name":"EPSS percentile","points":17.19,"detail":"percentile 0.8593"},{"name":"Named in threat reports","points":0.0,"detail":"0 reports"},{"name":"Public exploit code","points":0.0,"detail":"none found"},{"name":"Mentioned in OTX pulses","points":3.0,"detail":"50 pulses"},{"name":"CVSS severity","points":6.86,"detail":"base score 9.8"},{"name":"End-of-life product","points":0.0,"detail":"supported or unknown"}]}}