CVE-2020-26237
mediumpriority · track · 35EPSS 0.013 · 71 %ileDEEURUUSEPSS · scored 2026-10-27
Highlight.js is a syntax highlighter written in JavaScript. Highlight.js versions before 9.18.2 and 10.1.2 are vulnerable to Prototype Pollution. A malicious HTML code block can be crafted that will result in prototype pollution of the base object's prototype during highlighting. If you allow users to insert custom HTML code blocks into your page/app via parsing Markdown code blocks (or similar) and do not filter the language names the user can provide you may be vulnerable. The pollution should just be harmless data but this can cause problems for applications not expecting these properties to exist and can result in strange behavior or application crashes, i.e. a potential DOS vector. If your website or application does not render user provided data it should be unaffected. Versions 9.18.2 and 10.1.2 and newer include fixes for this vulnerability. If you are using version 7 or 8 you are encouraged to upgrade to a newer release.
cvss
Technical severity, 0–10. One row per scoring source.
base score 0–10 · higher = more severe · hover a vector to decode⚠ sources disagree · medium–high · 4.9–8.7
weaknesses
The CWE weakness classes this flaw belongs to.
affected products (41)
Products and version ranges known to be affected.
advisories (2)
Vendor and ecosystem advisories describing this.
- WID-SEC-W-2022-0735Oracle MySQL: Mehrere SchwachstellenDeutsch2022-07-19csaf · cert_bundDE
Ein Angreifer aus dem angrenzenden Netzwerk oder ein entfernter, anonymer, authentisierter oder lokaler Angreifer kann mehrere Schwachstellen in Oracle MySQL ausnutzen, um die Vertraulichkeit, Integrität und Verfügbarkeit zu gefährden.
- GHSA-vfrc-7r7c-w9mxPrototype Pollution in highlight.js2020-11-24ghsa · osvUS
### Impact Affected versions of this package are vulnerable to Prototype Pollution. A malicious HTML code block can be crafted that will result in prototype pollution of the base object's prototype during highlighting. If you allow users to insert custom HTML code blocks into your page/app via parsing Markdown code blocks (or similar) and do not filter the language names the user can provide you may be vulnerable. The pollution should just be harmless data but this can cause problems for applications not expecting these properties to exist and can result in strange behavior or application crashes, i.e. a potential DOS vector. _If your website or application does not render user provided data it should be unaffected._ ### Patches Versions 9.18.2 and 10.1.2 and newer include fixes for this vulnerability. If you are using version 7 or 8 you are encouraged to upgrade to a newer release. ### Workarounds #### Patch your library Manually patch your library to create null objects for both `languages` and `aliases`: ```js const HLJS = function(hljs) { // ... var languages = Object.create(null); var aliases = Object.create(null); ``` #### Filter out bad data from end users: Filter the language names that users are allowed to inject into your HTML to guarantee they are valid. ### References * [What is Prototype Pollution?](https://codeburst.io/what-is-prototype-pollution-49482fc4b638) * https://github.com/highlightjs/highlight.js/pull/2636 ### For more information If you have any questions or comments about this advisory: * Please file an issue against [highlight.js](https://github.com/highlightjs/highlight.js/issues/)
also known as (4)
Other names and identifiers for this entity.
sources
Which sources assert this record, and when.
references (23)
External citations — patches, advisories, analysis.
- https://github.com/highlightjs/highlight.js/commit/7241013ae011a585983e176ddc0489a7a52f6bb0cnnvd
- https://github.com/highlightjs/highlight.js/pull/2636cnnvd
- https://github.com/highlightjs/highlight.js/security/advisories/GHSA-vfrc-7r7c-w9mxcnnvd
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2020/12/msg00041.htmlcnnvd
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-26237cnnvd
- https://packetstormsecurity.com/files/164555/Red-Hat-Security-Advisory-2021-3917-01.htmlcnnvd
- https://vigilance.fr/vulnerability/Highlight-js-read-write-access-via-Prototype-Pollution-34222cnnvd
- https://www.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ESB-2021.3472cnnvd
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