CVE-2024-22048: XSS in govuk_tech_docs

The primary impact of CVE-2024-22048 lies in the potential for cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks. An attacker who can inject malicious HTML code into a page indexed by a site using the govuktechdocs gem could have that code rendered in search results. This could be used to execute arbitrary JavaScript in the user's browser when they view the search result, potentially leading to session hijacking, defacement of the search result, or redirection to malicious websites. The vulnerability's low risk rating stems from the difficulty of injecting malicious code and the limited length of the rendered snippet, which restricts the complexity of potential exploits. However, even limited XSS can be leveraged for phishing or to steal sensitive information.

1. Reserved2024-01-04
2. Published2023-04-11
3. Modified2026-02-04
4. EPSS updated2026-04-02

The recommended mitigation for CVE-2024-22048 is to upgrade to version 3.3.1 or later of the govuktechdocs gem. If upgrading is not immediately feasible, consider implementing input sanitization measures on any user-controllable content that is included in pages indexed by search engines. This could involve using a robust HTML sanitization library to remove potentially malicious code. Additionally, review your website's search engine indexing configuration to ensure that sensitive or untrusted content is not being indexed. After upgrading, confirm the fix by manually injecting a simple HTML snippet (e.g., <script>alert('XSS')</script>) into a test page and verifying that it is not rendered in search results.