# CVE-2020-23986: Cross-site scripting in n/a

> Reflected XSS in GitHub ReadMe Stats allows attackers to execute arbitrary scripts via the renderError function.

- **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:** No
- **Published:** 5 Jan 2022
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-jqwf-p5f8-cfhc

## What is CVE-2020-23986?

CVE-2020-23986 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in n/a, published on 5 Jan 2022. 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

Github Read Me Stats commit 3c7220e4f7144f6cb068fd433c774f6db47ccb95 was discovered to contain a reflected cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability via the function renderError.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-23986?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Github Readme Stats Project Github Readme Stats.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-23986?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-23986 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-23986 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-23986 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-23986 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-23986 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in n/a, published on 5 Jan 2022. 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-2020-23986 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. 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-2020-23986/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-23986/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-23986
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-23986
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-23986

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-23986/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.