Summary
KaTeX's \includegraphics does not escape filename
Workarounds
- Avoid use of or turn off the
trustoption, or set it to forbid\includegraphicscommands. - Forbid inputs containing the substring
"\\includegraphics". - Sanitize HTML output from KaTeX.
Details
\includegraphics did not properly quote its filename argument, allowing it to generate invalid or malicious HTML that runs scripts.
For more information
If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:
- Open an issue or security advisory in the KaTeX repository
- Email us at [email protected]
Impact
KaTeX users who render untrusted mathematical expressions could encounter malicious input using \includegraphics that runs arbitrary JavaScript, or generate invalid HTML.
CVE-2024-28245 has a CVSS score of 6.3 (Medium). The vector is network-reachable, low privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (0.16.10); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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See it in your environmentNew to Kodem? Get a demo →Remediation advice
Upgrade to KaTeX v0.16.10 to remove this vulnerability.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2024-28245? CVE-2024-28245 is a medium-severity security vulnerability in katex (npm), affecting versions >= 0.11.0, < 0.16.10. It is fixed in 0.16.10.
- How severe is CVE-2024-28245? CVE-2024-28245 has a CVSS score of 6.3 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of katex are affected by CVE-2024-28245? katex (npm) versions >= 0.11.0, < 0.16.10 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2024-28245? Yes. CVE-2024-28245 is fixed in 0.16.10. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2024-28245 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2024-28245 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2024-28245 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2024-28245? Upgrade
katexto 0.16.10 or later.