javascript.jquery.security.audit.prohibit-jquery-html.prohibit-jquery-html

profile photo of semgrepsemgrep
Author
3,426
Download Count*
LGPL Commons Clause
License

JQuery's html function is susceptible to Cross Site Scripting (XSS) attacks. If you're just passing text, consider text instead. Otherwise, use a function that escapes HTML such as edX's HtmlUtils.setHtml().

Run Locally

Run in CI

Semgrep CI docs

Defintion

Edit RuleView Source
Open in Playground 
rules:
  - id: prohibit-jquery-html
    message: JQuery's `html` function is susceptible to Cross Site Scripting (XSS)
      attacks. If you're just passing text, consider `text` instead. Otherwise,
      use a function that escapes HTML such as edX's `HtmlUtils.setHtml()`.
    metadata:
      shortDesription: Use of JQuery's unsafe html() function.
      help: >
        ## Remediation

        Avoid using JQuery's html() function. If the string is plain text, use the text() function instead.

        Otherwise, use a function that escapes html such as edx's HtmlUtils.setHtml().
      tags:
        - security
      precision: high
      owasp:
        - A07:2017 - Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
        - A03:2021 - Injection
      cwe:
        - "CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation
          ('Cross-site Scripting')"
      references:
        - https://edx.readthedocs.io/projects/edx-developer-guide/en/latest/preventing_xss/preventing_xss.html#javascript-concat-html
        - https://stackoverflow.com/questions/8318581/html-vs-innerhtml-jquery-javascript-xss-attacks
        - https://api.jquery.com/text/#text-text
      category: security
      technology:
        - jquery
      cwe2022-top25: true
      cwe2021-top25: true
      subcategory:
        - audit
      likelihood: LOW
      impact: MEDIUM
      confidence: LOW
      license: Commons Clause License Condition v1.0[LGPL-2.1-only]
      vulnerability_class:
        - Cross-Site-Scripting (XSS)
    languages:
      - javascript
      - typescript
    severity: WARNING
    patterns:
      - pattern: |
          $X.html(...)
      - pattern-not: |
          $X.html("...",...)

Examples

prohibit-jquery-html.js

function bad1(input) {
    // ruleid:prohibit-jquery-html
    $( "button.continue" ).html( input );
}

function bad2() {
    $.ajax({
        url: "/api/getWeather",
        data: {
            zipcode: 97201
        },
        success: function( result ) {
            // ruleid:prohibit-jquery-html
            $( "#weather-temp" ).html( "<strong>" + result + "</strong> degrees" );
        }
    });
}

function ok1() {
    // ok: prohibit-jquery-html
     $( "button.continue" ).text( "Next Step..." );
}

function ok2() {
    $.ajax({
        url: "/api/getWeather",
        data: {
            zipcode: 97201
        },
        success: function( result ) {
            // ok: prohibit-jquery-html
            HtmlUtils.setHtml( "<strong>" + result + "</strong> degrees" );
        }
    });
}

function ok3() {
    // ok: prohibit-jquery-html
    $('.js-piechart-container').html('<canvas class="js-pie-chart" style="width:100%;height:300px;"></canvas>')
}