# CVE-2010-4183: HTML Purifier cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability

> Remote attackers can inject arbitrary web script or HTML via crafted CSS properties in HTML Purifier when used with Internet Explorer.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.3 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 5 Nov 2010
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2010-4183, GHSA-3p68-m5qw-9g9w

## What is CVE-2010-4183?

CVE-2010-4183 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in n/a, published on 5 Nov 2010. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in HTML Purifier before 4.1.0, when Internet Explorer is used, allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted (1) background-image, (2) background, or (3) font-family Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) property, a different vulnerability than CVE-2010-2479.

Weakness: CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2010-4183?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including ezyang/htmlpurifier. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `ezyang/htmlpurifier` | Packagist | All versions | 4.1.0 |
| `ezyang/htmlpurifier` | Packagist | All versions | 4.1.0 |

Products: Htmlpurifier Htmlpurifier.

## How do I fix CVE-2010-4183?

Upgrade ezyang/htmlpurifier to 4.1.0 or later.

## Is CVE-2010-4183 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2010-4183 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2010-2479](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-2479/): HTML Purifier Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability (medium 4.3)
- [CVE-2007-3498](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2007-3498/): HTML Purifier Cross-site Scripting vulnerability (medium 4.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2010-4183 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2010-4183 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in n/a, published on 5 Nov 2010. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2010-4183 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- ezyang/htmlpurifier (Packagist): affected all versions; fixed in 4.1.0
- ezyang/htmlpurifier (Packagist): affected all versions; fixed in 4.1.0

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-4183/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-4183/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2010-4183
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2010-4183
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2010-4183

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-4183/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.