CVE-2020-11023
JQuery Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) Vulnerability
JQuery JQuery
In jQuery versions greater than or equal to 1.0.3 and before 3.5.0, passing HTML containing <option> elements from untrusted sources - even after sanitizing it - to one of jQuery's DOM manipulation methods (i.e. .html(), .append(), and others) may execute untrusted code. This problem is patched in jQuery 3.5.0.
Exploitation status
CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities
Listed by CISA on 23 January 2025. US federal agencies were required to remediate it by 13 February 2025.
EPSS — exploitation probability
FIRST puts the probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days at 84.9%, which is higher than 99.7% of all scored vulnerabilities. EPSS is a forecast of activity, not a measure of severity, and it is rescored daily.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:N
Frequently asked questions
Is CVE-2020-11023 being exploited by ransomware groups?
No ransomware group in this database is currently recorded as exploiting CVE-2020-11023.
What does CVE-2020-11023 affect?
CVE-2020-11023 affects JQuery JQuery. In jQuery versions greater than or equal to 1.0.3 and before 3.5.0, passing HTML containing <option> elements from untrusted sources - even after sanitizing it - to one of jQuery's DOM manipulation methods (i.e. .html(), .append(), and others) may execute untrusted code. This problem is patched in jQuery 3.5.0.
How severe is CVE-2020-11023?
CVE-2020-11023 is rated MEDIUM with a CVSS base score of 6.9. EPSS puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 84.9%, higher than 99.7% of all scored vulnerabilities. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, with a federal remediation deadline of 13 February 2025.
How should organisations respond to CVE-2020-11023?
Apply the vendor patch for JQuery JQuery as the first priority, and treat any internet-facing instance as the most urgent. Because this vulnerability is associated with ransomware activity, also review whether the affected systems were reachable before patching, rather than assuming that patching alone closes the incident.