HTML Cleaner allows crafted scripts in special contexts like svg or math to pass through
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- High
- Impact type
- Cross-site scripting
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · Low · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and GitHub. Impact type from CWE-79.
Summary
lxml_html_clean is a project for HTML cleaning functionalities copied from `lxml.html.clean`. Prior to version 0.4.0, the HTML Parser in lxml does not properly handle context-switching for special HTML tags such as `<svg>`, `<math>` and `<noscript>`. This behavior deviates from how web browsers parse and interpret such tags. Specifically, content in CSS comments is ignored by lxml_html_clean but may be interpreted differently by web browsers, enabling malicious scripts to bypass the cleaning process. This vulnerability could lead to Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks, compromising the security of users relying on lxml_html_clean in default configuration for sanitizing untrusted HTML content. Users employing the HTML cleaner in a security-sensitive context should upgrade to lxml 0.4.0, which addresses this issue. As a temporary mitigation, users can configure lxml_html_clean with the following settings to prevent the exploitation of this vulnerability. Via `remove_tags`, one may specify tags to remove - their content is moved to their parents' tags. Via `kill_tags`, one may specify tags to be removed completely. Via `allow_tags`, one may restrict the set of permissible tags, excluding context-switching tags like `<svg>`, `<math>` and `<noscript>`.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| fedora-python | lxml_html_clean | before 0.4.0 | 0.4.0 | Patch available | CNA |
| — | lxml-html-clean (PyPI) | before 0.4.0 | 0.4.0 | Patch available | GHSA-5jfw-gq64-q45f |
- lxml_html_clean Vendorfedora-python Affected before 0.4.0 Fixed in 0.4.0 Patch available CNA
- lxml-html-clean (PyPI) Vendor— Affected before 0.4.0 Fixed in 0.4.0 Patch available GHSA-5jfw-gq64-q45f
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:fedoralovespython:lxml_html_clean:*:*:*:*:*:python:*:* | before 0.4.0 | Vulnerable | fedora-python |
- cpe:2.3:a:fedoralovespython:lxml_html_clean:*:*:*:*:*:python:*:* Versions before 0.4.0 Vulnerable ·fedora-python
Remediation
- Fix · CNA lxml_html_clean (fedora-python) Fixed in 0.4.0
- Fix · GHSA-5jfw-gq64-q45f lxml-html-clean (PyPI) Fixed in 0.4.0 Advisory →
Vendor assessments
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2024-52595
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-5jfw-gq64-q45f
References
Patch 2
Advisory 2
More fedora-python Lxml Html Clean vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-22630 lxml_html_clean: <base> tag injection through default Cleaner configuration CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.1
- TI-2026-22629 lxml_html_clean: CSS @import Filter Bypass via Unicode Escapes CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.1
Sources
- CVE-2024-52595 · CVE Program
- CVE-2024-52595 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-5jfw-gq64-q45f · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2024-52595 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences