Summary
SVGO: removeScripts incompletely sanitizes executable HTML in SVG foreignObject elements
SVGO's opt-in removeScripts plugin did not inspect executable HTML content inside SVG <foreignObject> elements. Applications that used this plugin as their only protection for untrusted SVG input could produce SVGs containing active HTML and expose users to cross-site scripting (XSS).
SVGO is an optimizer rather than a comprehensive sanitization library, but removeScripts is maintained for consumers that already rely on it to remove common script execution paths.
Details
Although the plugin removed SVG and XHTML <script> elements, it left other HTML execution paths inside <foreignObject> unchanged. These included:
- event-handler attributes such as
onloadandonbeforetoggle; srcdocdocuments, including on<iframe>elements;- executable URLs in HTML attributes such as
action,data,formaction,href, andsrc.
An attacker could place one of these payloads in an SVG. If an application optimized the untrusted SVG with removeScripts and then served the result in an active browser context, the payload could execute in the viewer's origin.
Workarounds
For hostile input, use a dedicated SVG sanitization tool before passing the SVG to SVGO. As defense in depth, applications can reject or remove <foreignObject> content and avoid serving user-controlled SVGs in an active same-origin context.
Impact
Successful exploitation could allow script execution in the context where the optimized SVG is rendered. Depending on the embedding and origin configuration, this could expose cookies or local storage, modify content, or perform actions as the victim.
The plugin is opt-in, so consumers that do not enable removeScripts are not relying on the affected behavior. Typical local optimization of trusted SVG files is not affected.
Untrusted input is rendered as active markup in a victim's browser, which can run script in their session. Typical impact: session or credential theft, and actions taken as the user.
CVE-2026-84369 has a CVSS score of 6.1 (Medium). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and user interaction required. 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 (2.8.4, 3.3.5, 4.1.0); 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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Upgrade to one of the following releases for the maintained release line in use:
| Release line | Patched version | Plugin |
|---|---|---|
| v2 | 2.8.4 | removeScriptElement |
| v3 | 3.3.5 | removeScriptElement |
| v4 | 4.1.0 | removeScripts |
The fix preserves visual HTML inside SVG <foreignObject> elements while removing event attributes, srcdoc, and executable URL values from active HTML URL attributes.
SVGO v1 is no longer maintained. Users of v1 should upgrade to a supported release line.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-84369? CVE-2026-84369 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in svgo (npm), affecting versions >= 1.0.0, < 2.8.4. It is fixed in 2.8.4, 3.3.5, 4.1.0. Untrusted input is rendered as active markup in a victim's browser, which can run script in their session.
- How severe is CVE-2026-84369? CVE-2026-84369 has a CVSS score of 6.1 (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 svgo are affected by CVE-2026-84369? svgo (npm) versions >= 1.0.0, < 2.8.4 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-84369? Yes. CVE-2026-84369 is fixed in 2.8.4, 3.3.5, 4.1.0. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-84369 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-84369 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-2026-84369 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-2026-84369?
- Upgrade
svgoto 2.8.4 or later - Upgrade
svgoto 3.3.5 or later - Upgrade
svgoto 4.1.0 or later
- Upgrade