sanitize-html has an incomplete URI scheme validation that allows javascript: URIs through action, formaction, data, poster, and background attributes

ApostropheCMS is an open-source Node.js content management system, and sanitize-html provides a simple HTML sanitizer with a clear API. Versions of sanitize-html prior to 2.17.5 use `allowedSchemesAppliedToAttributes` (default: `['href', 'src', 'cite']`) to gate the `naughtyHref()` function that blocks dangerous URI schemes like `javascript:` and `vbscript:`. The HTML specification defines 10+ attributes that accept URIs (`action`, `formaction`, `data`, `poster`, `background`, `ping`, `xlink:href`, `dynsrc`, `lowsrc`), but none of these are included in the default gate list. When a developer allows any of these attributes in their configuration, `javascript:` URIs pass through completely unmodified, enabling XSS. Version 2.17.5 patches the issue.

Source published

12 Jun 2026 20:50:47 UTC

Source modified

15 Jun 2026 17:54:23 UTC

Observed here

23 Oct 2026 15:48:27 UTC

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CVSS 3.1 · 5.4 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N