CVE-2020-36644Network attack vector

Cross-site scripting via unescaped missing filename

Published Jan 7, 2023 · Updated May 28, 2025

Cross-site scripting in James Martin Inline SVG before 1.7.2 allows remote attackers to execute script via a crafted missing filename. The placeholder method inserts the unescaped filename into an SVG comment and marks the entire generated string HTML-safe when the requested asset is absent. A Rails application must pass attacker-controlled input as the helper filename and a user must view the resulting page; injected script then runs in that user's browser context and can read or alter page-accessible data.

CVSS severity6.1
Medium
EPSS probability0.68%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Cross-site scripting in James Martin Inline SVG before 1.7.2 allows remote attackers to execute script via a crafted missing filename. The placeholder method inserts the unescaped filename into an SVG comment and marks the entire generated string HTML-safe when the requested asset is absent. A Rails application must pass attacker-controlled input as the helper filename and a user must view the resulting page; injected script then runs in that user's browser context and can read or alter page-accessible data.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-36644
Published
Jan 7, 2023
Updated
May 28, 2025
Vendor
James Martin
Product
Inline SVG
Classifications
CWE-79, T1059.007
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 7, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 28, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=1.7.0
  2. Affected versionversion=1.7.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

James Martin · Inline SVGversion=1.7.0; version=1.7.1

Published CVSS scores

3.5VulDBCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
6.1NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
4.0VulDBAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:N/I:P/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-79Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
T1059.007JavaScript/JScript

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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