# CVE-2024-42515: Glossarizer Cross-site Scripting vulnerability

> Attackers can inject malicious scripts via stored XSS in Glossarizer by exploiting improper HTML conversion of escaped characters.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.9 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:H/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 31 Oct 2024
- **Updated:** 1 Nov 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-hhhv-ggjx-q9j2

## What is CVE-2024-42515?

CVE-2024-42515 is a critical cross-site scripting vulnerability in n/a, published on 31 Oct 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Glossarizer through 1.5.2 improperly tries to convert text into HTML. Even though the application itself escapes special characters (e.g., <>), the underlying library converts these encoded characters into legitimate HTML, thereby possibly causing stored XSS. Attackers can append a XSS payload to a word that has a corresponding glossary entry.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-42515?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including glossarizer.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `glossarizer` | npm | All versions to 1.5.2 | None |
| `glossarizer` | npm | All versions to 1.5.2 | None |

## How do I fix CVE-2024-42515?

No fix has been published for CVE-2024-42515 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2024-42515 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2024-42515 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-42515 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-42515 is a critical cross-site scripting vulnerability in n/a, published on 31 Oct 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2024-42515 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- glossarizer (npm): affected all versions up to 1.5.2; no fix listed
- glossarizer (npm): affected all versions up to 1.5.2; no fix listed

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-2024-42515/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-42515/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-42515
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-42515
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-42515

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-42515/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.