# CVE-2019-20521: Cross-site scripting in n/a

> Reflected XSS in ERPNext allows attackers to execute arbitrary scripts in victim browsers via the PATH_INFO parameter.

- **Severity:** High 7.4 (`CVSS:3.0/AC:L/AV:N/A:N/C:H/I:N/PR:N/S:C/UI:R`)
- **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:** No
- **Published:** 19 Mar 2020
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-33m7-qmp2-vj6x

## What is CVE-2019-20521?

CVE-2019-20521 is a high-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Frappe Erpnext, published on 19 Mar 2020. 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

ERPNext 11.1.47 allows reflected XSS via the PATH_INFO to the api/ URI.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-20521?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Frappe Erpnext.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-20521?

No fix has been published for CVE-2019-20521 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2019-20521 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-20521 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Frappe Erpnext

- [CVE-2026-44442](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-44442/): ERPNext: Unauthorised Document modification due to missing validation (critical 9.9)
- [CVE-2026-38431](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-38431/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2025-66438](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-66438/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2025-66439](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-66439/): SQL injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2025-66440](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-66440/): SQL injection in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-20521 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-20521 is a high-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Frappe Erpnext, published on 19 Mar 2020. 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-2019-20521 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Frappe Erpnext. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

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-2019-20521/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-20521/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-20521
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-20521
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-20521

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-20521/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.