Macro in MathJax running untrusted Javascript within a web browserGHSA-3c48-6pcv-88rm
MEDIUMFix: mathjax/MathJax@a55da39GHSA-3c48-6pcv-88rm is a medium-severity (CVSS 5.4) Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in mathjax. 1 public exploit or proof-of-concept reference is indexed, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for mathjax — see the affected versions and patch details below.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.
How urgent is this, really
Where this sits among everything scored
Real-World Exposure
How broadly this vulnerability is actually deployed: weekly install volume shows current usage, and reverse-dependency count shows how many other packages break if it stays unpatched.
mathjaxnpmDescription
MathJax version prior to version 2.7.4 contains a Cross Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the \unicode{} macro that can result in Potentially untrusted Javascript running within a web browser. This attack appear to be exploitable via The victim must view a page where untrusted content is processed using Mathjax. This vulnerability appears to have been fixed in 2.7.4 and later.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📦npm | mathjax | all versions | 2.7.4npm install mathjax@2.7.4 |
Affected Products
mathjaxmathjaxResearch use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for mathjax, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update mathjax to 2.7.4 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-3c48-6pcv-88rm is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
Escape or sanitise the affected output on the server side rather than relying on client-side filtering, and add a Content-Security-Policy that blocks inline script execution so injected markup cannot run even if it reaches the page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-3c48-6pcv-88rm in your dependencies?
Find it across npm, including transitive dependencies.