Why You Should Be Careful When Using `innerHTML`

2023/06/22

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The innerHTML function is a popular way to manipulate the content of an HTML element. However, if not used properly, it can lead to security vulnerabilities in your web application.

In a recent article, the author explains the risks associated with using innerHTML and provides code samples to demonstrate how it can be misused. The article also offers an alternative function, setHTML(<value>), which is currently in an experimental state and may not be supported by all browsers.

Developers should be aware of the potential risks when using innerHTML and ensure that it is used correctly to avoid security vulnerabilities. It is important to sanitize any user input before using it with innerHTML to prevent cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks.

Here is an example of how to properly sanitize user input before using innerHTML:

const userInput = document.getElementById('userInput').value;
const sanitizedInput = userInput.replace(/</g, '&lt;').replace(/>/g, '&gt;');
document.getElementById('output').innerHTML = sanitizedInput;

By following best practices and properly sanitizing user input, developers can safely use innerHTML to manipulate HTML content in their web applications.