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CVE-2023-23627

Sanitize vulnerable to Cross-site Scripting via Improper neutralization of `noscript` element

6.1 MediumFix available

Sanitize is an allowlist-based HTML and CSS sanitizer. Versions 5.0.0 and later, prior to 6.0.1, are vulnerable to Cross-site Scripting. When Sanitize is configured with a custom allowlist that allows noscript elements, attackers are able to include arbitrary HTML, resulting in XSS (cross-site scripting) or other undesired behavior when that HTML is rendered in a browser. The default configurations do not allow noscript elements and are not vulnerable. This issue only affects users who are using a custom config that adds noscript to the element allowlist. This issue has been patched in version 6.0.1. Users who are unable to upgrade can prevent this issue by using one of Sanitize's default configs or by ensuring that their custom config does not include noscript in the element allowlist.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges needed
None
User interaction
Required

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
Low
Availability
None

Exploit likelihood

0.54%Down 0.3 points since Jan 28, 2023
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 6.1

Sanitize vulnerable to Cross-site Scripting via Improper neutralization of `noscript` element

Sanitize is an allowlist-based HTML and CSS sanitizer. Versions 5.0.0 and later, prior to 6.0.1, are vulnerable to Cross-site Scripting. When Sanitize is configured with a custom allowlist that allows noscript elements, attackers are able to include arbitrary HTML, resulting in XSS (cross-site scripting) or other undesired behavior when that HTML is rendered in a browser. The default configurations do not allow noscript elements and are not vulnerable. This issue only affects users who are using a custom config that adds noscript to the element allowlist. This issue has been patched in version 6.0.1. Users who are unable to upgrade can prevent this issue by using one of Sanitize's default configs or by ensuring that their custom config does not include noscript in the element allowlist.

Record
CVE-2023-23627
CVSS 3.1
6.1 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Weakness
CWE-79
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2023-0461 6.1

Sanitize is an allowlist-based HTML and CSS sanitizer. Versions 5.0.0 and later, prior to 6.0.1, are vulnerable to Cross-site Scripting. When Sanitize is configured with a custom allowlist that allows noscript elements, attackers are able to include arbitrary HTML, resulting in XSS (cross-site scripting) or other undesired behavior when that HTML is rendered in a browser. The default configurations do not allow noscript elements and are not vulnerable. This issue only affects users who are using a custom config that adds noscript to the element allowlist. This issue has been patched in version 6.0.1. Users who are unable to upgrade can prevent this issue by using one of Sanitize's default configs or by ensuring that their custom config does not include noscript in the element allowlist.

Record
EUVD-2023-0461
CVSS 3.1
6.1 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Updated
2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-fw3g-2h3j-qmm7 6.1

Improper neutralization of `noscript` element content may allow XSS in Sanitize

Impact

Using carefully crafted input, an attacker may be able to sneak arbitrary HTML through Sanitize >= 5.0.0, < 6.0.1 when Sanitize is configured with a custom allowlist that allows noscript elements. This could result in XSS (cross-site scripting) or other undesired behavior when that HTML is rendered in a browser.

Sanitize's default configs don't allow noscript elements and are not vulnerable. This issue only affects users who are using a custom config that adds noscript to the element allowlist.

Patches

Sanitize >= 6.0.1 always removes noscript elements and their contents, even when noscript is in the allowlist.

Workarounds

Users who are unable to upgrade can prevent this issue by using one of Sanitize's default configs or by ensuring that their custom config does not include noscript in the element allowlist.

Details

The root cause of this issue is that HTML parsing rules treat the contents of a noscript element differently depending on whether scripting is enabled in the user agent. Nokogiri (the HTML parser Sanitize uses) doesn't support scripting so it follows the "scripting disabled" rules, but a web browser with scripting enabled will follow the "scripting enabled" rules. This means that Sanitize can't reliably make the contents of a noscript element safe for scripting enabled browsers. The safest thing to do is to remove the element and its contents entirely, which is now what Sanitize does in version 6.0.1 and later.

References

Credit

Thanks to David Klein from TU Braunschweig (@leeN) for reporting this issue.

Record
GHSA-fw3g-2h3j-qmm7
CVSS 3.1
6.1 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Weakness
CWE-79
Updated
2026-11-02
NVD 6.1

Sanitize is an allowlist-based HTML and CSS sanitizer. Versions 5.0.0 and later, prior to 6.0.1, are vulnerable to Cross-site Scripting. When Sanitize is configured with a custom allowlist that allows noscript elements, attackers are able to include arbitrary HTML, resulting in XSS (cross-site scripting) or other undesired behavior when that HTML is rendered in a browser. The default configurations do not allow noscript elements and are not vulnerable. This issue only affects users who are using a custom config that adds noscript to the element allowlist. This issue has been patched in version 6.0.1. Users who are unable to upgrade can prevent this issue by using one of Sanitize's default configs or by ensuring that their custom config does not include noscript in the element allowlist.

Record
CVE-2023-23627
CVSS 3.1
6.1 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Weakness
CWE-79
Updated
2026-11-02
OSV 6.1

Sanitize vulnerable to Cross-site Scripting via Improper neutralization of `noscript` element

Sanitize is an allowlist-based HTML and CSS sanitizer. Versions 5.0.0 and later, prior to 6.0.1, are vulnerable to Cross-site Scripting. When Sanitize is configured with a custom allowlist that allows noscript elements, attackers are able to include arbitrary HTML, resulting in XSS (cross-site scripting) or other undesired behavior when that HTML is rendered in a browser. The default configurations do not allow noscript elements and are not vulnerable. This issue only affects users who are using a custom config that adds noscript to the element allowlist. This issue has been patched in version 6.0.1. Users who are unable to upgrade can prevent this issue by using one of Sanitize's default configs or by ensuring that their custom config does not include noscript in the element allowlist.

Record
CVE-2023-23627
CVSS 3.1
6.1 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Weakness
CWE-79
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2023-23627 6.1

Sanitize is an allowlist-based HTML and CSS sanitizer. Versions 5.0.0 and later, prior to 6.0.1, are vulnerable to Cross-site Scripting. When Sanitize is configured with a custom allowlist that allows noscript elements, attackers are able to include arbitrary HTML, resulting in XSS (cross-site scripting) or other undesired behavior when that HTML is rendered in a browser. The default configurations do not allow noscript elements and are not vulnerable. This issue only affects users who are using a custom config that adds noscript to the element allowlist. This issue has been patched in version 6.0.1. Users who are unable to upgrade can prevent this issue by using one of Sanitize's default configs or by ensuring that their custom config does not include noscript in the element allowlist.

Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2023-23627
CVSS 3.1
6.1 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-fw3g-2h3j-qmm7 6.1

Improper neutralization of `noscript` element content may allow XSS in Sanitize

Impact

Using carefully crafted input, an attacker may be able to sneak arbitrary HTML through Sanitize >= 5.0.0, < 6.0.1 when Sanitize is configured with a custom allowlist that allows noscript elements. This could result in XSS (cross-site scripting) or other undesired behavior when that HTML is rendered in a browser.

Sanitize's default configs don't allow noscript elements and are not vulnerable. This issue only affects users who are using a custom config that adds noscript to the element allowlist.

Patches

Sanitize >= 6.0.1 always removes noscript elements and their contents, even when noscript is in the allowlist.

Workarounds

Users who are unable to upgrade can prevent this issue by using one of Sanitize's default configs or by ensuring that their custom config does not include noscript in the element allowlist.

Details

The root cause of this issue is that HTML parsing rules treat the contents of a noscript element differently depending on whether scripting is enabled in the user agent. Nokogiri (the HTML parser Sanitize uses) doesn't support scripting so it follows the "scripting disabled" rules, but a web browser with scripting enabled will follow the "scripting enabled" rules. This means that Sanitize can't reliably make the contents of a noscript element safe for scripting enabled browsers. The safest thing to do is to remove the element and its contents entirely, which is now what Sanitize does in version 6.0.1 and later.

References

Credit

Thanks to David Klein from TU Braunschweig (@leeN) for reporting this issue.

Record
GHSA-fw3g-2h3j-qmm7
CVSS 3.1
6.1 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Weakness
CWE-79
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2023-23627 6.1

Sanitize is an allowlist-based HTML and CSS sanitizer. Versions 5.0.0 and later, prior to 6.0.1, are vulnerable to Cross-site Scripting. When Sanitize is configured with a custom allowlist that allows noscript elements, attackers are able to include arbitrary HTML, resulting in XSS (cross-site scripting) or other undesired behavior when that HTML is rendered in a browser. The default configurations do not allow noscript elements and are not vulnerable. This issue only affects users who are using a custom config that adds noscript to the element allowlist. This issue has been patched in version 6.0.1. Users who are unable to upgrade can prevent this issue by using one of Sanitize's default configs or by ensuring that their custom config does not include noscript in the element allowlist.

Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2023-23627
CVSS 3.1
6.1 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVUSN-6748-1 No score

ruby-sanitize vulnerabilities

It was discovered that Sanitize incorrectly handled noscript elements under certain circumstances. An attacker could possibly use this issue to execute a cross-site scripting (XSS) attack. This issue only affected Ubuntu 22.04 LTS. (CVE-2023-23627)

It was discovered that Sanitize incorrectly handled style elements under certain circumstances. An attacker could possibly use this issue to execute a cross-site scripting (XSS) attack. (CVE-2023-36823)

Record
USN-6748-1
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
sanitize
RubyGems
5.0.0 up to 6.0.1
6.0.1
ruby-sanitize
Debian:12
before 6.0.0-1.1
6.0.0-1.1
ruby-sanitize
Debian:13
before 6.0.0-1.1
6.0.0-1.1
ruby-sanitize
Debian:14
before 6.0.0-1.1
6.0.0-1.1
sanitize
RubyGems
5.0.0 up to 6.0.1, plus listed versions
5.1.05.2.05.2.15.2.25.2.36.0.0
6.0.1
ruby-sanitize
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS
before 4.6.6-2.1~0.20.04.2, plus listed versions
4.6.6-24.6.6-2.1~0.20.04.1
4.6.6-2.1~0.20.04.2
ruby-sanitize
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS
before 6.0.0-1ubuntu0.1, plus listed versions
5.2.1-25.2.3-16.0.0-1
6.0.0-1ubuntu0.1
ruby-sanitize
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS
From an advisory covering 2 CVEs
before 4.6.6-2.1~0.20.04.2, plus listed versions
4.6.6-24.6.6-2.1~0.20.04.1
4.6.6-2.1~0.20.04.2
ruby-sanitize
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS
From an advisory covering 2 CVEs
before 6.0.0-1ubuntu0.1, plus listed versions
5.2.1-25.2.3-16.0.0-1
6.0.0-1ubuntu0.1

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
affected, facts
first indexedCVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2023-23627 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 6.1) in Rgrove Sanitize, published January 27, 2023. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.54%, the 45th percentile. Fixed in sanitize 6.0.1.

References

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