CISA Flags jQuery XSS Flaw as Actively Exploited Vulnerability

CISA Flags jQuery XSS Flaw as Actively Exploited Vulnerability

CISA Flags jQuery Vulnerability in Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog: What You Need to Know

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has recently added a significant vulnerability affecting the widely-used jQuery JavaScript library to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. This decision comes after evidence pointed towards active exploitation of the medium-severity flaw, known as CVE-2020-11023. With a CVSS score of 6.1/6.9, this nearly five-year-old cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability poses a risk of arbitrary code execution if not addressed promptly.

According to a GitHub advisory, the vulnerability arises from passing HTML containing <option> elements from untrusted sources to jQuery’s DOM manipulation methods, such as .html() and .append(). Even if the HTML is sanitized, it may still lead to the execution of untrusted code.

Understanding CVE-2020-11023

The jQuery vulnerability, CVE-2020-11023, was patched in jQuery version 3.5.0, which was released in April 2020. To mitigate risks associated with this flaw, developers are advised to employ a workaround that utilizes DOMPurify with the SAFE_FOR_JQUERY flag. This method ensures that HTML strings are properly sanitized before being processed by jQuery methods.

Why is This Vulnerability Important?

While CISA’s advisory does not provide extensive details on the nature of the exploitation or the identities of the threat actors involved, it is crucial for developers and organizations to take this issue seriously. Notably, Dutch security firm EclecticIQ reported in February 2024 that command-and-control (C2) addresses from a malicious campaign were exploiting vulnerabilities, including CVE-2020-11023.

Recommended Actions for Federal Agencies

As part of Binding Operational Directive (BOD) 22-01, Federal Civilian Executive Branch (FCEB) agencies are strongly encouraged to remediate this identified flaw by February 13, 2025. This proactive measure is essential for securing their networks against potential active threats.

Stay Informed and Secure

It’s vital for developers and organizations using jQuery to stay updated on vulnerabilities and best practices. Regularly check for updates and patches to keep your applications secure. For more information on jQuery and security best practices, consider visiting OWASP and CISA’s official website.

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