# CVE-2020-1721: Cross-site scripting in pki-core

> Reflected XSS in PKI KRA Agent allows attackers to execute JavaScript in authenticated victims' browsers via crafted recovery IDs.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/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:** 30 Apr 2021
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2020-1721, GHSA-j9fq-77vj-2ww7, UBUNTU-CVE-2020-1721

## What is CVE-2020-1721?

CVE-2020-1721 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in pki-core, published on 30 Apr 2021. 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 flaw was found in the Key Recovery Authority (KRA) Agent Service in pki-core 10.10.5 where it did not properly sanitize the recovery ID during a key recovery request, enabling a reflected cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability. An attacker could trick an authenticated victim into executing specially crafted Javascript code.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-1721?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Dogtagpki Dogtagpki.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-1721?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2020-1721 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-1721 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in pki-core

- [CVE-2021-20179](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20179/): Business logic in pki-core (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2021-3551](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-3551/): Information disclosure in pki-server (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2022-2414](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-2414/): XML external entity in Dogtag PKI (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2018-1080](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-1080/): Auth bypass in pki-core (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2020-15720](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-15720/): Security feature bypass in n/a (medium 6.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-1721 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-1721 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in pki-core, published on 30 Apr 2021. 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-2020-1721 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: pki-core. 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-2020-1721/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-1721/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-1721
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-1721
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-1721

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-1721/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.