CVE-2021-23439: File upload with preview Cross-Site Scripting Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-97pv-4338-r5vp
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CVSS 4.2
CWE-79
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2021-23439 is a MODERATE (CVSS 4.2) cross-site scripting vulnerability (CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')) affecting File upload with preview libraries in the npm ecosystem. The issue involves cross-site scripting in file-upload-with-preview. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 4.2.0.

CVE-2021-23439 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2021-23439
GHSA Identifier GHSA-97pv-4338-r5vp
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 4.2
CWE Classification CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
Affected Product File upload with preview
Package Ecosystem npm
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 4.2

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity High (AC:H)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction Required (UI:R)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality Low (C:L)
Integrity Low (I:L)
Availability None (A:N)

How to Fix CVE-2021-23439

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected File upload with preview dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

file-upload-with-preview fixed: 4.2.0 
npm install file-upload-with-preview@4.2.0
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

npm ls file-upload-with-preview

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Node.js application is affected by CVE-2021-23439, inspect your project dependencies using npm:

npm ls file-upload-with-preview

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of File upload with preview in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 4.2.0), your application is affected.

Note: The npm ls file-upload-with-preview command inspects dependencies declared in your package.json and lockfile; it does not perform automated runtime dynamic scanning.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting'), where the product does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes user-controllable input before it is placed in output that is used as a web page that is served to other users. In File upload with preview, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

This affects the package file-upload-with-preview before 4.2.0. A file containing malicious JavaScript code in the name can be uploaded (a user needs to be tricked into uploading such a file).

CVE-2021-23439 Affected File upload with preview Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
4.2.0
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
file-upload-with-preview
npm/file-upload-with-preview
npm
< 4.2.0
4.2.0

References

NVD — CVE-2021-23439 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-23439
File upload with preview Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/johndatserakis/file-upload-with-preview/pull/40/files?file-filters%5B%5D=.js&hide-deleted-files=true%23diff-fe47b243de17419c0daa22cd785cd754baed60cf3679d3da1d6fe006f9f4a7f0R174
File upload with preview Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/johndatserakis/file-upload-with-preview
File upload with preview Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/johndatserakis/file-upload-with-preview/blob/develop/src/file-upload-with-preview.js%23L168
snyk.io/vuln/snyk-js-fileup... WEB
https://snyk.io/vuln/SNYK-JS-FILEUPLOADWITHPREVIEW-1579492

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2021-23439?
CVE-2021-23439 is a security vulnerability in File upload with preview involving Cross-site Scripting in file-upload-with-preview under CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting').
Which File upload with preview versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 4.2.0 across affected packages: file-upload-with-preview.
What version fixes CVE-2021-23439?
Upgrading to 4.2.0 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is file-upload-with-preview affected?
Yes, file-upload-with-preview is affected in releases prior to 4.2.0. Upgrade your dependency to 4.2.0 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2021-23439?
CVE-2021-23439 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 4.2 (MODERATE) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2021-23439?
CVE-2021-23439 is classified under CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') (The product does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes user-controllable input before it is placed in output that is used as a web page that is served to other users.).
How can I check npm dependencies for CVE-2021-23439?
Run the dependency tree command: 'npm ls file-upload-with-preview'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-97pv-4338-r5vp",
  "modified" : "2021-09-07T18:05:06Z",
  "published" : "2021-09-07T23:08:54Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2021-23439" ],
  "summary" : "Cross-site Scripting in file-upload-with-preview",
  "details" : "This affects the package file-upload-with-preview before 4.2.0. A file containing malicious JavaScript code in the name can be uploaded (a user needs to be tricked into uploading such a file).",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "file-upload-with-preview"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "4.2.0"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-23439"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/johndatserakis/file-upload-with-preview/pull/40/files?file-filters%5B%5D=.js&hide-deleted-files=true%23diff-fe47b243de17419c0daa22cd785cd754baed60cf3679d3da1d6fe006f9f4a7f0R174"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/johndatserakis/file-upload-with-preview"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/johndatserakis/file-upload-with-preview/blob/develop/src/file-upload-with-preview.js%23L168"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://snyk.io/vuln/SNYK-JS-FILEUPLOADWITHPREVIEW-1579492"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-79" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2021-09-07T18:05:06Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2021-09-05T14:15:00Z"
  }
}