DOMPurify: IN_PLACE mode trusts attacker-controlled nodeName on live non-form nodes, allowing script retention and XSS via attacker-supplied DOM objects

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS

not scored

EPSS

• CVE-2026-65901: 0.29% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 21.14 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Summary When DOMPurify.sanitize(root, { INPLACE: true }) is called on an attacker-supplied live DOM node, DOMPurify still trusts currentNode.nodeName for non-form nodes in the main sanitizeElements pipeline. A real <script child node whose observable nodeName is attacker-controlled can therefore be misclassified as an allowed element and retained. When the sanitized tree is inserted into a live document, the script executes. This affects current 3.4.6. The recent INPLACE hardening work covers clobbered form handling and foreign-realm shadow/template traversal, but does not harden the main per-node element decision for hostile non-form live nodes. Affected - DOMPurify 3.4.6 - Any caller that does DOMPurify.sanitize(node, { INPLACE: true }) on attacker-supplied live DOM nodes - Verified attacker-controlled node sources: - same-origin iframe → live node passed by reference - same-origin window.open() popup → live node passed by reference - same-origin foreign node adopted into the host…

Published by the source

15 Jun 2026, 20:00 UTC

Last modified by the source

10 Sep 2026, 03:50 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 12:58 UTC

1. Revision 2 · amended · 26 Oct 2026

   Amended from ghsa record GHSA-x4vx-rjvf-j5p4

2. Revision 1 · created · 24 Oct 2026

   Published from osv record GHSA-x4vx-rjvf-j5p4

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2026-65901

Advisory: DOMPurify: `IN_PLACE` mode trusts attacker-controlled `nodeName` on live non-form nodes, allowing script retention and XSS via attacker-supplied DOM objects
IDs: CVE-2026-65901, GHSA-x4vx-rjvf-j5p4
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2026-65901 (revision 2, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 12:58 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Unrated
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor response not established. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- npm dompurify: affected <= 3.4.6

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- `npm ls dompurify --all`: lists every installed copy and version, including transitive ones. Run in the project root after `npm ci`.

## Supported action
No complete vendor fix is recorded. Follow the primary source's mitigation guidance and check this record again before closing anything.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on dompurify.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-x4vx-rjvf-j5p4 (OSV record GHSA-x4vx-rjvf-j5p4 lists affected ranges: npm dompurify >=0 <=3.4.6)
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-x4vx-rjvf-j5p4 (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-x4vx-rjvf-j5p4 lists affected ranges: npm dompurify >=0 <=3.4.6)

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