CVE-2026-25153

@backstage/plugin-techdocs-node vulnerable to arbitrary code execution via MkDocs hooks

State
Published
Severity
7.7 High
Published
Jan 30, 2026
Updated
Jul 15, 2026
Reserved
Jan 29, 2026

Read the record on cve.org

Description

Backstage is an open framework for building developer portals, and @backstage/plugin-techdocs-node provides common node.js functionalities for TechDocs. In versions of @backstage/plugin-techdocs-node prior to 1.13.11 and 1.14.1, when TechDocs is configured with `runIn: local`, a malicious actor who can submit or modify a repository's `mkdocs.yml` file can execute arbitrary Python code on the TechDocs build server via MkDocs hooks configuration. @backstage/plugin-techdocs-node versions 1.13.11 and 1.14.1 contain a fix. The fix introduces an allowlist of supported MkDocs configuration keys. Unsupported configuration keys (including `hooks`) are now removed from `mkdocs.yml` before running the generator, with a warning logged to indicate which keys were removed. Users of `@techdocs/cli` should also upgrade to the latest version, which includes the fixed `@backstage/plugin-techdocs-node` dependency. Some workarounds are available. Configure TechDocs with `runIn: docker` instead of `runIn: local` to provide container isolation, though it does not fully mitigate the risk. Limit who can modify `mkdocs.yml` files in repositories that TechDocs processes; only allow trusted contributors. Implement PR review requirements for changes to `mkdocs.yml` files to detect malicious `hooks` configurations before they are merged. Use MkDocs < 1.4.0 (e.g., 1.3.1) which does not support hooks. Note: This may limit access to newer MkDocs features. Building documentation in CI/CD pipelines using `@techdocs/cli` does not mitigate this vulnerability, as the CLI uses the same vulnerable `@backstage/plugin-techdocs-node` package.

Scores

CVSSScoreVectorSource
3.17.7 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:LGitHub_M
3.17.7 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:Lredhat-SADP

Weaknesses

  • CWE-94 Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')

Affected Products

ProductVersions
backstagebackstage
  • < 1.13.11Affected
  • = 1.14.0Affected

References

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