DOMPurify's ADD_TAGS function form bypasses FORBID_TAGS due to short-circuit evaluation

Description

Summary

In src/purify.ts:1117-1123, ADD_TAGS as a function (via EXTRA_ELEMENT_HANDLING.tagCheck) bypasses FORBID_TAGS due to short-circuit evaluation.

The condition:

!(tagCheck(tagName)) && (!ALLOWED_TAGS[tagName] || FORBID_TAGS[tagName])

When tagCheck(tagName) returns true, the entire condition is false and the element is kept — FORBID_TAGS[tagName] is never evaluated.

Inconsistency

This contradicts the attribute-side pattern at line 1214 where FORBID_ATTR explicitly wins first:

if (FORBID_ATTR[lcName]) { continue; }

For tags, FORBID should also take precedence over ADD.

Impact

Applications using both ADD_TAGS as a function and FORBID_TAGS simultaneously get unexpected behavior — forbidden tags are allowed through. Config-dependent but a genuine logic inconsistency.

Suggested Fix

Check FORBID_TAGS before tagCheck:

if (FORBID_TAGS[tagName]) { /* remove */ }
else if (tagCheck(tagName) || ALLOWED_TAGS[tagName]) { /* keep */ }

Affected Version

v3.3.3 (commit 883ac15)

Basic information

Type
reviewed
Severity
medium
Advisory on GitHub
Open advisory ↗
Repository advisory
Open repository advisory ↗
Source code
Browse source ↗
Published (advisory)
2026-04-16 00:46:35 UTC
Updated
2026-04-16 00:46:36 UTC
GitHub reviewed
2026-04-16 00:46:35 UTC

CVSS Scores

Base score Version Severity Vector
5.3 4.0
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:L/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network.
Attack complexity (AC:L)
Exploitation conditions are straightforward and stable.
Attack requirements (AT:N)
No additional preconditions are required beyond normal reachability.
Privileges required (PR:N)
No privileges are required.
User interaction (UI:P)
A user has to participate (for example click/open/approve).
Vulnerable system confidentiality impact (VC:L)
Limited confidentiality impact on the vulnerable system.
Vulnerable system integrity impact (VI:L)
Limited integrity impact on the vulnerable system.
Vulnerable system availability impact (VA:N)
No availability impact on the vulnerable system.
Subsequent system confidentiality impact (SC:N)
No confidentiality impact on subsequent systems.
Subsequent system integrity impact (SI:N)
No integrity impact on subsequent systems.
Subsequent system availability impact (SA:N)
No availability impact on subsequent systems.

Identifiers

Type Value
GHSA GHSA-39q2-94rc-95cp ↗

CWEs

CWE id Name
CWE-783 Operator Precedence Logic Error

Affected packages (1)

Vulnerable version ranges and first patched releases as published by GitHub.

Ecosystem Package Vulnerable range First patched Vulnerable functions
npm dompurify <= 3.3.3 3.4.0

References

cvelogic Threat Intelligence