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CVE-2022-23520

rails-html-sanitizer contains an incomplete fix for an XSS vulnerability

Published: Dec 14, 2022Updated: Nov 3, 2025 Sources: CVE List NVD GHSACWE-79
NVD MITRE
6.1CVSSMEDIUM
EPSS Score
1.1%
Top 38.4%
CISA KEV
Not in KEV
Exploits
1 Known
Remediation
Patch Available

Description

rails-html-sanitizer is responsible for sanitizing HTML fragments in Rails applications. Prior to version 1.4.4, there is a possible XSS vulnerability with certain configurations of Rails::Html::Sanitizer due to an incomplete fix of CVE-2022-32209. Rails::Html::Sanitizer may allow an attacker to inject content if the application developer has overridden the sanitizer's allowed tags to allow both "select" and "style" elements. Code is only impacted if allowed tags are being overridden. This issue is patched in version 1.4.4. All users overriding the allowed tags to include both "select" and "style" should either upgrade or use this workaround: Remove either "select" or "style" from the overridden allowed tags. NOTE: Code is _not_ impacted if allowed tags are overridden using either the :tags option to the Action View helper method sanitize or the :tags option to the instance method SafeListSanitizer#sanitize.

CVSS Vector Breakdown

AV:NAC:LPR:NUI:RS:CC:LI:LA:N
Exploitability
AV:NAttack Vector
Network
AC:LAttack Complexity
Low
PR:NPrivileges Required
None
UI:RUser Interaction
Required
Scope
S:CScope
Changed
Impact
C:LConfidentiality
Low
I:LIntegrity
Low
A:NAvailability
None
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Weaknesses

CWE-79

Affected Products

rails html sanitizersrubyonrailsOSS Libraries
debian linuxdebian
On-premOS
Operating Systems / linux-distro
rails-html-sanitizerrails
Library
OSS Libraries / web-framework
rails-html-sanitizerRubyGemsOSS Libraries
rubyonrailsoss-projectUSOSS Librariesaka rails, ruby on rails, rubyonrails.org
debianoss-projectGBOperating Systemsaka debian gnu/linux
railsoss-projectOSS Librariesaka rails-html-sanitizer, activestorage
rubygemspackage-ecosystemOSS Libraries

Attack Graph

Products CVE Techniques Tactics

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Exploitability

1 exploit source identified

Exploit details including PoC links, Metasploit modules, and scanner templates are available after registration.

View exploit details
Official Patch Available

MITRE ATT&CK

2 techniques
Execution
Initial Access
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References

https://github.com/rails/rails-html-sanitizer/security/advisories/GHSA-rrfc-7g8p-99q8
github.com
https://hackerone.com/reports/1654310
hackerone.com
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/09/msg00012.html
lists.debian.org
and 4 more references View all →

Timeline

Published
Dec 14, 2022
Last Updated
Nov 3, 2025

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