Cross-site Scripting (XSS)
Description
datatables.net before 1.11.3 fails to escape array values in its HTML escape function, enabling stored XSS.
AI Insight
LLM-synthesized narrative grounded in this CVE's description and references.
datatables.net before 1.11.3 fails to escape array values in its HTML escape function, enabling stored XSS.
Vulnerability
The DataTables jQuery plugin (datatables.net before version 1.11.3) contains a cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in its HTML escape entities function. When an array is passed to this function instead of a string, the array's contents are not escaped, allowing malicious HTML to be rendered [2]. This affects the $.fn.dataTable.render.text() method used for column rendering [2][4]. All versions prior to 1.11.3 are vulnerable, including the Java WebJars Bower (org.webjars.bower:datatables.net) and npm (org.webjars.npm:datatables.net) distributions [3][4].
Exploitation
An attacker can trigger this vulnerability by injecting a data source (e.g., via an API endpoint or database) where a field that is expected to be a string is instead provided as an array containing malicious HTML. The attack does not require authentication if the attacker can influence the data consumed by the table [2]. A proof of concept demonstrates passing an array like ["Hello World! "] as a column value; when the render.text() function processes it, the HTML is not escaped and executes in the browser of any user viewing the table [2][3]. No user interaction beyond viewing the affected page is needed.
Impact
Successful exploitation results in stored cross-site scripting (XSS). The attacker's HTML or JavaScript executes in the context of the user's browser session, potentially allowing session hijacking, credential theft, defacement, or redirection to malicious sites [2]. The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 6.1 (medium severity) as per the NVD [1], but the impact is limited to the browser context and does not grant server-side access.
Mitigation
The fix is to upgrade datatables.net to version 1.11.3 or later, released on 2021-09-27 [1][2]. For Java projects, update the WebJars dependencies org.webjars.bower:datatables.net and org.webjars.npm:datatables.net to version 1.11.3 [3][4]. No known workarounds are documented; applying the patch is the recommended mitigation. This CVE is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.
AI Insight generated on May 21, 2026. Synthesized from this CVE's description and the cited reference URLs; citations are validated against the source bundle.
Affected packages
Versions sourced from the GitHub Security Advisory.
| Package | Affected versions | Patched versions |
|---|---|---|
datatables.netnpm | < 1.11.3 | 1.11.3 |
Affected products
2- datatables.net/datatables.netdescription
Patches
159a8d3f8a3c1e835ddc5b800c47f7e9e32a91cc522f8ca7ced5c Fix: If an array was passed to the HTML escape entities function it would not have its contents escaped
3 files changed · +11 −7
datatables.json+1 −1 modified@@ -9,5 +9,5 @@ ], "src-repo": "http://github.com/DataTables/DataTablesSrc", "last-tag": "1.11.2", - "last-sync": "ea607c6e51e76d13efc341b5d41f5082a33b56e0" + "last-sync": "e835ddc5b800c47f7e9e32a91cc522f8ca7ced5c" } \ No newline at end of file
js/jquery.dataTables.js+4 −0 modified@@ -15064,6 +15064,10 @@ */ var __htmlEscapeEntities = function ( d ) { + if (Array.isArray(d)) { + d = d.join(','); + } + return typeof d === 'string' ? d .replace(/&/g, '&')
js/jquery.dataTables.min.js+6 −6 modified@@ -178,9 +178,9 @@ t(O,L)}else{m=null;n=L;O=a.iTabIndex;switch(L){case "ellipsis":x.append('<span c b){b=b.oLanguage.sDecimal;return tb(a,b,!0)?"num-fmt"+b:null},function(a,b){b=b.oLanguage.sDecimal;return jc(a,b)?"html-num"+b:null},function(a,b){b=b.oLanguage.sDecimal;return jc(a,b,!0)?"html-num-fmt"+b:null},function(a,b){return Z(a)||"string"===typeof a&&-1!==a.indexOf("<")?"html":null}]);l.extend(u.ext.type.search,{html:function(a){return Z(a)?a:"string"===typeof a?a.replace(gc," ").replace(Ua,""):""},string:function(a){return Z(a)?a:"string"===typeof a?a.replace(gc," "):a}});var Ta=function(a, b,c,d){if(0!==a&&(!a||"-"===a))return-Infinity;b&&(a=ic(a,b));a.replace&&(c&&(a=a.replace(c,"")),d&&(a=a.replace(d,"")));return 1*a};l.extend(M.type.order,{"date-pre":function(a){a=Date.parse(a);return isNaN(a)?-Infinity:a},"html-pre":function(a){return Z(a)?"":a.replace?a.replace(/<.*?>/g,"").toLowerCase():a+""},"string-pre":function(a){return Z(a)?"":"string"===typeof a?a.toLowerCase():a.toString?a.toString():""},"string-asc":function(a,b){return a<b?-1:a>b?1:0},"string-desc":function(a,b){return a< b?1:a>b?-1:0}});Wa("");l.extend(!0,u.ext.renderer,{header:{_:function(a,b,c,d){l(a.nTable).on("order.dt.DT",function(e,h,f,g){a===h&&(e=c.idx,b.removeClass(d.sSortAsc+" "+d.sSortDesc).addClass("asc"==g[e]?d.sSortAsc:"desc"==g[e]?d.sSortDesc:c.sSortingClass))})},jqueryui:function(a,b,c,d){l("<div/>").addClass(d.sSortJUIWrapper).append(b.contents()).append(l("<span/>").addClass(d.sSortIcon+" "+c.sSortingClassJUI)).appendTo(b);l(a.nTable).on("order.dt.DT",function(e,h,f,g){a===h&&(e=c.idx,b.removeClass(d.sSortAsc+ -" "+d.sSortDesc).addClass("asc"==g[e]?d.sSortAsc:"desc"==g[e]?d.sSortDesc:c.sSortingClass),b.find("span."+d.sSortIcon).removeClass(d.sSortJUIAsc+" "+d.sSortJUIDesc+" "+d.sSortJUI+" "+d.sSortJUIAscAllowed+" "+d.sSortJUIDescAllowed).addClass("asc"==g[e]?d.sSortJUIAsc:"desc"==g[e]?d.sSortJUIDesc:c.sSortingClassJUI))})}}});var yb=function(a){return"string"===typeof a?a.replace(/&/g,"&").replace(/</g,"<").replace(/>/g,">").replace(/"/g,"""):a};u.render={number:function(a,b,c,d,e){return{display:function(h){if("number"!== -typeof h&&"string"!==typeof h)return h;var f=0>h?"-":"",g=parseFloat(h);if(isNaN(g))return yb(h);g=g.toFixed(c);h=Math.abs(g);g=parseInt(h,10);h=c?b+(h-g).toFixed(c).substring(2):"";0===g&&0===parseFloat(h)&&(f="");return f+(d||"")+g.toString().replace(/\B(?=(\d{3})+(?!\d))/g,a)+h+(e||"")}}},text:function(){return{display:yb,filter:yb}}};l.extend(u.ext.internal,{_fnExternApiFunc:fc,_fnBuildAjax:Oa,_fnAjaxUpdate:Gb,_fnAjaxParameters:Pb,_fnAjaxUpdateDraw:Qb,_fnAjaxDataSrc:Aa,_fnAddColumn:Xa,_fnColumnOptions:Ga, -_fnAdjustColumnSizing:ta,_fnVisibleToColumnIndex:ua,_fnColumnIndexToVisible:va,_fnVisbleColumns:oa,_fnGetColumns:Ia,_fnColumnTypes:Za,_fnApplyColumnDefs:Db,_fnHungarianMap:E,_fnCamelToHungarian:P,_fnLanguageCompat:ma,_fnBrowserDetect:Bb,_fnAddData:ia,_fnAddTr:Ja,_fnNodeToDataIndex:function(a,b){return b._DT_RowIndex!==q?b._DT_RowIndex:null},_fnNodeToColumnIndex:function(a,b,c){return l.inArray(c,a.aoData[b].anCells)},_fnGetCellData:T,_fnSetCellData:Eb,_fnSplitObjNotation:bb,_fnGetObjectDataFn:na, -_fnSetObjectDataFn:ha,_fnGetDataMaster:cb,_fnClearTable:Ka,_fnDeleteIndex:La,_fnInvalidate:wa,_fnGetRowElements:ab,_fnCreateTr:$a,_fnBuildHead:Fb,_fnDrawHead:ya,_fnDraw:ja,_fnReDraw:ka,_fnAddOptionsHtml:Ib,_fnDetectHeader:xa,_fnGetUniqueThs:Na,_fnFeatureHtmlFilter:Kb,_fnFilterComplete:za,_fnFilterCustom:Tb,_fnFilterColumn:Sb,_fnFilter:Rb,_fnFilterCreateSearch:hb,_fnEscapeRegex:ib,_fnFilterData:Ub,_fnFeatureHtmlInfo:Nb,_fnUpdateInfo:Xb,_fnInfoMacros:Yb,_fnInitialise:Ba,_fnInitComplete:Pa,_fnLengthChange:jb, -_fnFeatureHtmlLength:Jb,_fnFeatureHtmlPaginate:Ob,_fnPageChange:lb,_fnFeatureHtmlProcessing:Lb,_fnProcessingDisplay:V,_fnFeatureHtmlTable:Mb,_fnScrollDraw:Ha,_fnApplyToChildren:ca,_fnCalculateColumnWidths:Ya,_fnThrottle:gb,_fnConvertToWidth:Zb,_fnGetWidestNode:$b,_fnGetMaxLenString:ac,_fnStringToCss:K,_fnSortFlatten:pa,_fnSort:Hb,_fnSortAria:cc,_fnSortListener:nb,_fnSortAttachListener:eb,_fnSortingClasses:Ra,_fnSortData:bc,_fnSaveState:qa,_fnLoadState:dc,_fnImplementState:pb,_fnSettingsFromNode:Sa, -_fnLog:da,_fnMap:X,_fnBindAction:ob,_fnCallbackReg:R,_fnCallbackFire:F,_fnLengthOverflow:kb,_fnRenderer:fb,_fnDataSource:Q,_fnRowAttributes:db,_fnExtend:qb,_fnCalculateEnd:function(){}});l.fn.dataTable=u;u.$=l;l.fn.dataTableSettings=u.settings;l.fn.dataTableExt=u.ext;l.fn.DataTable=function(a){return l(this).dataTable(a).api()};l.each(u,function(a,b){l.fn.DataTable[a]=b});return u}); +" "+d.sSortDesc).addClass("asc"==g[e]?d.sSortAsc:"desc"==g[e]?d.sSortDesc:c.sSortingClass),b.find("span."+d.sSortIcon).removeClass(d.sSortJUIAsc+" "+d.sSortJUIDesc+" "+d.sSortJUI+" "+d.sSortJUIAscAllowed+" "+d.sSortJUIDescAllowed).addClass("asc"==g[e]?d.sSortJUIAsc:"desc"==g[e]?d.sSortJUIDesc:c.sSortingClassJUI))})}}});var yb=function(a){Array.isArray(a)&&(a=a.join(","));return"string"===typeof a?a.replace(/&/g,"&").replace(/</g,"<").replace(/>/g,">").replace(/"/g,"""):a};u.render= +{number:function(a,b,c,d,e){return{display:function(h){if("number"!==typeof h&&"string"!==typeof h)return h;var f=0>h?"-":"",g=parseFloat(h);if(isNaN(g))return yb(h);g=g.toFixed(c);h=Math.abs(g);g=parseInt(h,10);h=c?b+(h-g).toFixed(c).substring(2):"";0===g&&0===parseFloat(h)&&(f="");return f+(d||"")+g.toString().replace(/\B(?=(\d{3})+(?!\d))/g,a)+h+(e||"")}}},text:function(){return{display:yb,filter:yb}}};l.extend(u.ext.internal,{_fnExternApiFunc:fc,_fnBuildAjax:Oa,_fnAjaxUpdate:Gb,_fnAjaxParameters:Pb, +_fnAjaxUpdateDraw:Qb,_fnAjaxDataSrc:Aa,_fnAddColumn:Xa,_fnColumnOptions:Ga,_fnAdjustColumnSizing:ta,_fnVisibleToColumnIndex:ua,_fnColumnIndexToVisible:va,_fnVisbleColumns:oa,_fnGetColumns:Ia,_fnColumnTypes:Za,_fnApplyColumnDefs:Db,_fnHungarianMap:E,_fnCamelToHungarian:P,_fnLanguageCompat:ma,_fnBrowserDetect:Bb,_fnAddData:ia,_fnAddTr:Ja,_fnNodeToDataIndex:function(a,b){return b._DT_RowIndex!==q?b._DT_RowIndex:null},_fnNodeToColumnIndex:function(a,b,c){return l.inArray(c,a.aoData[b].anCells)},_fnGetCellData:T, +_fnSetCellData:Eb,_fnSplitObjNotation:bb,_fnGetObjectDataFn:na,_fnSetObjectDataFn:ha,_fnGetDataMaster:cb,_fnClearTable:Ka,_fnDeleteIndex:La,_fnInvalidate:wa,_fnGetRowElements:ab,_fnCreateTr:$a,_fnBuildHead:Fb,_fnDrawHead:ya,_fnDraw:ja,_fnReDraw:ka,_fnAddOptionsHtml:Ib,_fnDetectHeader:xa,_fnGetUniqueThs:Na,_fnFeatureHtmlFilter:Kb,_fnFilterComplete:za,_fnFilterCustom:Tb,_fnFilterColumn:Sb,_fnFilter:Rb,_fnFilterCreateSearch:hb,_fnEscapeRegex:ib,_fnFilterData:Ub,_fnFeatureHtmlInfo:Nb,_fnUpdateInfo:Xb, +_fnInfoMacros:Yb,_fnInitialise:Ba,_fnInitComplete:Pa,_fnLengthChange:jb,_fnFeatureHtmlLength:Jb,_fnFeatureHtmlPaginate:Ob,_fnPageChange:lb,_fnFeatureHtmlProcessing:Lb,_fnProcessingDisplay:V,_fnFeatureHtmlTable:Mb,_fnScrollDraw:Ha,_fnApplyToChildren:ca,_fnCalculateColumnWidths:Ya,_fnThrottle:gb,_fnConvertToWidth:Zb,_fnGetWidestNode:$b,_fnGetMaxLenString:ac,_fnStringToCss:K,_fnSortFlatten:pa,_fnSort:Hb,_fnSortAria:cc,_fnSortListener:nb,_fnSortAttachListener:eb,_fnSortingClasses:Ra,_fnSortData:bc,_fnSaveState:qa, +_fnLoadState:dc,_fnImplementState:pb,_fnSettingsFromNode:Sa,_fnLog:da,_fnMap:X,_fnBindAction:ob,_fnCallbackReg:R,_fnCallbackFire:F,_fnLengthOverflow:kb,_fnRenderer:fb,_fnDataSource:Q,_fnRowAttributes:db,_fnExtend:qb,_fnCalculateEnd:function(){}});l.fn.dataTable=u;u.$=l;l.fn.dataTableSettings=u.settings;l.fn.dataTableExt=u.ext;l.fn.DataTable=function(a){return l(this).dataTable(a).api()};l.each(u,function(a,b){l.fn.DataTable[a]=b});return u});
Vulnerability mechanics
Generated on May 9, 2026. Inputs: CWE entries + fix-commit diffs from this CVE's patches. Citations validated against bundle.
References
11- github.com/advisories/GHSA-h73q-5wmj-q8pjghsaADVISORY
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-23445ghsaADVISORY
- cdn.datatables.net/1.11.3ghsaWEB
- github.com/DataTables/Dist-DataTables/commit/59a8d3f8a3c1138ab08704e783bc52bfe88d7c9bghsaWEB
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/08/msg00018.htmlghsamailing-listWEB
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240621-0006ghsaWEB
- snyk.io/vuln/SNYK-JAVA-ORGWEBJARSBOWER-1715371ghsaWEB
- snyk.io/vuln/SNYK-JAVA-ORGWEBJARSNPM-1715376ghsaWEB
- snyk.io/vuln/SNYK-JS-DATATABLESNET-1540544ghsaWEB
- cdn.datatables.net/1.11.3/mitre
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240621-0006/mitre
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