# CVE-2020-0872: Cross-site scripting in Application Inspector

> Attackers can execute arbitrary code by injecting malicious scripts into HTML output generated from third-party source files.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.6 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** 12 Mar 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-2h77-rqmp-vqc3

## What is CVE-2020-0872?

CVE-2020-0872 is a critical cross-site scripting vulnerability in Microsoft Application Inspector, published on 12 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

A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Application Inspector version v1.0.23 or earlier when the tool reflects example code snippets from third-party source files into its HTML output, aka 'Remote Code Execution Vulnerability in Application Inspector'.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-0872?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Microsoft Application Inspector.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-0872?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-0872 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-0872 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-0872 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-0872 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-0872 is a critical cross-site scripting vulnerability in Microsoft Application Inspector, published on 12 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-2020-0872 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Microsoft Application Inspector. 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-2020-0872/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-0872/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-0872
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-0872
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-0872

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-0872/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.