# CVE-2022-41947: Cross-site Scripting with user-uploaded files in dhis2-core

> Authenticated users can upload files with embedded JavaScript, enabling XSS attacks against other users who open the files.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.4 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 8 Dec 2022
- **Updated:** 23 Apr 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-763w-rm78-6xcg

## What is CVE-2022-41947?

CVE-2022-41947 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in dhis2-core, published on 8 Dec 2022. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

DHIS 2 is an open source information system for data capture, management, validation, analytics and visualization. Through various features of DHIS2, an authenticated user may be able to upload a file which includes embedded javascript. The user could then potentially trick another authenticated user to open the malicious file in a browser which would trigger the javascript code, resulting in a cross-site scripting (XSS) attack. DHIS2 administrators should upgrade to the following hotfix releases: 2.36.12.1, 2.37.8.1, 2.38.2.1, 2.39.0.1. Users unable to upgrade may add the following simple CSP rule in your web proxy to the vulnerable endpoints: `script-src 'none'`. This workaround will prevent all javascript from running on those endpoints.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-41947?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Dhis2 Dhis 2.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-41947?

No fix has been published for CVE-2022-41947 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2022-41947 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-41947 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in dhis2-core

- [CVE-2022-24848](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-24848/): SQL Injection in DHIS2's in OrgUnit program association (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-39179](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-39179/): SQL Injection in DHIS2 Tracker API (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-32704](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-32704/): Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') in dhis2-core (high 8.5)
- [CVE-2021-41187](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-41187/): SQL Injection in DHIS2 Tracker API (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2023-31138](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-31138/): DHIS2 Core vulnerable to Improper Access Control with PATCH requests (high 7.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-41947 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-41947 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in dhis2-core, published on 8 Dec 2022. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-41947 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: dhis2-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-2022-41947/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-41947/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-41947
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-41947
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-41947

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-41947/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.