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Cross-site Scripting occurrences in Paste-markdown
@github/paste-markdown is an npm package for pasting markdown objects. A self Cross-Site Scripting vulnerability exists in the @github/paste-markdown before version 0.3.4. If the clipboard data contains the string `
`, a **div** is dynamically created, and the clipboard content is copied into its **innerHTML** property without any sanitization, resulting in improper execution of JavaScript in the browser of the victim (the user who pasted the code). Users directed to copy text from a malicious website and paste it into pages that utilize this library are affected. This is fixed in version 0.3.4. Refer the to the referenced GitHub Advisory for more details including an example exploit. (2021-08-12, CVE-2021-37700)
Why Cross-site Scripting can be dangerous
Cross site scripting is an attack where a web page executes code that is injected by an adversary. It usually appears, when users input is presented. This attack can be used to impersonate a user, take over control of the session, or even steal API keys.
The attack can be executed e.g. when you application injects the request parameter directly into the HTML code of the page returned to the user:
https://server.com/confirmation?message=Transaction+Complete
what results in:
<span>Confirmation: Transaction Complete</span>
In that case the message can be modified to become a valid Javascript code, e.g.:
https://server.com/confirmation?message=<script>dangerous javascript code here</script>
and it will be executed locally by the user's browser with full access to the user's personal application/browser data:
<span>Confirmation: <script>dangerous javascript code here</script></span>
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