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NVD / CVE Program· CNA GitHub_M

CVE-2022-23520: rails-html-sanitizer contains an incomplete fix for an XSS vulnerability

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Monitor (action score 24/100)

  • The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 1.1% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 67.9% of all records.
  • Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. No account or password is required. A user must open a link or visit a page. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
  • Fixed version: rails rails-html-sanitizer 1.4.4.

Low priority for now. Upgrade to rails rails-html-sanitizer 1.4.4 or later.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS

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.

MediumCVSS 6.1 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available
Published
Dec 14, 2022
Updated
Jun 17, 2026
EPSS
1.1% · 67th percentile

Report tools

JSON

Action score

24

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
24 / 40 · 6.1 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
0 / 30 · 1.1%

CNA vs NVD score

NVD
6.1
CNA · GitHub_M
6.1
agree

The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.

Get told when this record changes

  • Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
  • No public exploit code on record
  • A fix has been released

If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.

Follow CVE-2022-23520

When you'll hear from us

  • when it enters CISA KEV
  • when exploit code appears or is weaponized
  • when the record is updated (including a fixed version)
  • when EPSS rises 20 points in a week

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Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.

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Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

VendorProduct
rubyonrailsrails html sanitizers
debiandebian linux

Limit the impact of XSS

This is a cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability. A well-configured Content-Security-Policy doesn't fix it, but greatly reduces its impact. Check your site's CSP and other security headers for free.

Check security headers

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • debian debian linux10.0
  • rubyonrails rails html sanitizersbefore 1.4.4

Versions reported by the vendor

Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (GitHub_M). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.

  • rails rails-html-sanitizer

    • < 1.4.4affected

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Debian:10ruby-rails-html-sanitizerbefore 1.0.4-1+deb10u21.0.4-1+deb10u2
Debian:11ruby-rails-html-sanitizerbefore 1.3.0-1+deb11u11.3.0-1+deb11u1
Debian:12ruby-rails-html-sanitizerbefore 1.4.4-11.4.4-1
openSUSE:Leap 15.4rubygem-rails-html-sanitizerbefore 1.0.4-150000.4.6.11.0.4-150000.4.6.1
openSUSE:Tumbleweedrubygem-rails-html-sanitizerbefore 1.5.0-1.11.5.0-1.1
openSUSE:Tumbleweedrubygem-rails-html-sanitizerbefore 1.6.0-1.51.6.0-1.5
openSUSE:Tumbleweedrubygem-rails-html-sanitizerbefore 1.6.0-1.71.6.0-1.7
openSUSE:Tumbleweedrubygem-rails-html-sanitizerbefore 1.6.0-1.91.6.0-1.9
Red Hat:satellite_capsule:6.13::el8ansible-collection-redhat-satellitebefore 0:3.9.0-2.el8sat0:3.9.0-2.el8sat
Red Hat:satellite_capsule:6.13::el8ansible-collection-redhat-satellite_operationsbefore 0:1.3.0-2.el8sat0:1.3.0-2.el8sat
Red Hat:satellite_capsule:6.13::el8ansible-lintbefore 0:5.0.8-4.el8pc0:5.0.8-4.el8pc
Red Hat:satellite_capsule:6.13::el8ansible-runnerbefore 0:2.2.1-3.el8sat0:2.2.1-3.el8sat
Red Hat:satellite_capsule:6.13::el8ansiblerole-foreman_scap_clientbefore 0:0.2.0-2.el8sat0:0.2.0-2.el8sat
Red Hat:satellite_capsule:6.13::el8ansiblerole-insights-clientbefore 0:1.7.1-2.el8sat0:1.7.1-2.el8sat
Red Hat:satellite_capsule:6.13::el8cjsonbefore 0:1.7.14-5.el8sat0:1.7.14-5.el8sat
Red Hat:satellite_capsule:6.13::el8cjson-debuginfobefore 0:1.7.14-5.el8sat0:1.7.14-5.el8sat
Red Hat:satellite_capsule:6.13::el8cjson-debugsourcebefore 0:1.7.14-5.el8sat0:1.7.14-5.el8sat
Red Hat:satellite_capsule:6.13::el8createrepo_cbefore 0:0.20.1-1.el8pc0:0.20.1-1.el8pc
Red Hat:satellite_capsule:6.13::el8createrepo_c-debuginfobefore 0:0.20.1-1.el8pc0:0.20.1-1.el8pc
Red Hat:satellite_capsule:6.13::el8createrepo_c-debugsourcebefore 0:0.20.1-1.el8pc0:0.20.1-1.el8pc
Red Hat:satellite_capsule:6.13::el8createrepo_c-libsbefore 0:0.20.1-1.el8pc0:0.20.1-1.el8pc
Red Hat:satellite_capsule:6.13::el8createrepo_c-libs-debuginfobefore 0:0.20.1-1.el8pc0:0.20.1-1.el8pc
Red Hat:satellite_capsule:6.13::el8dynflow-utilsbefore 0:1.6.3-1.el8sat0:1.6.3-1.el8sat
Red Hat:satellite_capsule:6.13::el8foremanbefore 0:3.5.1.14-1.el8sat0:3.5.1.14-1.el8sat

+96

Same product

rubyonrails: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2022-32209# Possible XSS Vulnerability in Rails::Html::SanitizerThere is a possible XSS vulnerability with certain configurations of Rails::Html::Sani
    32Monitor
  • CVE-2022-23517Inefficient Regular Expression Complexity in rails-html-sanitizer
    30Monitor
  • CVE-2022-23519Possible XSS vulnerability with certain configurations of rails-html-sanitizer
    24Monitor

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2022-23518Dec 14, 2022 · Improper neutralization of data URIs allows XSS in rails-html-sanitizer
    24Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2024-53989Dec 2, 2024 · Possible XSS vulnerability with certain configurations of rails-html-sanitizer 1.6.0
    9Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2024-53985Dec 2, 2024 · Possible XSS vulnerability with certain configurations of rails-html-sanitizer 1.6.0
    9Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
rails rails-html-sanitizer1.4.4 · descriptionVendor (CNA)
debian:ruby-rails-html-sanitizer1.4.4-1 · Debian:12Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:rubygem-rails-html-sanitizer1.0.4-150000.4.6.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.4Package registry (OSV)
red hat:ansible-collection-redhat-satellite0:3.9.0-2.el8sat · Red Hat:satellite_capsule:6.13::el8Package registry (OSV)
red hat:ansible-collection-redhat-satellite_operations0:1.3.0-2.el8sat · Red Hat:satellite_capsule:6.13::el8Package registry (OSV)
red hat:ansible-lint0:5.0.8-4.el8pc · Red Hat:satellite_capsule:6.13::el8Package registry (OSV)
red hat:ansible-runner0:2.2.1-3.el8sat · Red Hat:satellite_capsule:6.13::el8Package registry (OSV)
red hat:ansiblerole-foreman_scap_client0:0.2.0-2.el8sat · Red Hat:satellite_capsule:6.13::el8Package registry (OSV)
red hat:ansiblerole-insights-client0:1.7.1-2.el8sat · Red Hat:satellite_capsule:6.13::el8Package registry (OSV)
red hat:cjson0:1.7.14-5.el8sat · Red Hat:satellite_capsule:6.13::el8Package registry (OSV)
red hat:cjson-debuginfo0:1.7.14-5.el8sat · Red Hat:satellite_capsule:6.13::el8Package registry (OSV)
red hat:cjson-debugsource0:1.7.14-5.el8sat · Red Hat:satellite_capsule:6.13::el8Package registry (OSV)
red hat:createrepo_c0:0.20.1-1.el8pc · Red Hat:satellite_capsule:6.13::el8Package registry (OSV)
red hat:createrepo_c-debuginfo0:0.20.1-1.el8pc · Red Hat:satellite_capsule:6.13::el8Package registry (OSV)
red hat:createrepo_c-debugsource0:0.20.1-1.el8pc · Red Hat:satellite_capsule:6.13::el8Package registry (OSV)
RubyGems:rails-html-sanitizer1.4.4Package registry (OSV)
suse:rubygem-rails-html-sanitizer1.0.3-8.14.1 · SUSE:OpenStack Cloud Crowbar 8Package registry (OSV)
suse:rubygem-rails-html-sanitizer1.0.4-150000.4.6.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 15 SP1Package registry (OSV)

Exploit status

No known public exploit

No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

No dated events beyond publication.

No history yet (it accumulates with the daily EPSS job).

Patch and commit links

Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.

No commit or PR link among the references.

Credits

All researchers

Finders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.

No credits in the CNA record.

Variant candidates

Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.

No nightly-computed relations.

Chain candidates

An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.

—

Bug bounty scope

The product’s vendor appears in a public program. Matched by name; verify the scope text in the program.

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
  • No account or password is required.
  • A user must open a link or visit a page.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
low · data can be read
Integrity
low · data or configuration can be modified
Availability
none

Impact can extend beyond the vulnerable component (scope changes).

Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
Required
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality impact
Low
Integrity impact
Low
Availability impact
None

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-79 · Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')

CVSS vector

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

nvd-primary

Root cause

User content is inserted into the page as HTML. The browser interprets the content as code rather than data.

The bug in code

The whole CWE-79 class

A representative example of this vulnerability class. Not the vendor's source code; it shows the faulty pattern and its fix.

Vulnerable

ts
commentEl.innerHTML = comment.body;

Fixed

ts
commentEl.textContent = comment.body;

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

ATT&CK techniques

—

Change log

  1. Fix✗ → ✓

For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →

References

Show all references (1 more)

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records