CVE-2021-23445 : What You Need to Know

A cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability was discovered in the package datatables.net before version 1.11.3. This vulnerability allows an attacker to bypass HTML escaping, leading to potential code injection.

Understanding CVE-2021-23445

This section provides insights into the impact and technical details of CVE-2021-23445.

What is CVE-2021-23445?

The CVE-2021-23445 vulnerability affects datatables.net versions prior to 1.11.3, allowing for unescaped array content when passed to the HTML escape entities function.

The Impact of CVE-2021-23445

The impact of this vulnerability is considered low, with the potential for malicious actors to execute cross-site scripting attacks by injecting code into web pages and stealing sensitive information.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-23445

Below are the technical aspects of the CVE-2021-23445 vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises from the improper handling of array contents passed to the HTML escape entities function, leading to unescaped content.

Affected Systems and Versions

Vendor: Not applicable
Affected Product: datatables.net
Vulnerable Versions: Versions prior to 1.11.3

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by passing crafted arrays to the function, allowing them to execute arbitrary code in the context of a user's browser.

Mitigation and Prevention

To mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2021-23445, follow these guidelines.

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade to version 1.11.3 of datatables.net to patch the vulnerability.
Implement input validation and output encoding to prevent XSS attacks.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software libraries to the latest secure versions.
Conduct security reviews and audits of web applications to identify and address vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security updates and patches for datatables.net to address potential vulnerabilities.