# CVE-2018-3771: statics-server XSS in directory index listing

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2018-3771-statics-server-xss-in-directory-index-listing  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2022-05-13. Updated: 2026-05-14  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2018-3771 · Severity: low · CVSS 3 · Published 2022-05-13

The statics-server package, a tool used to serve static files and display directory listings, is vulnerable to a security flaw that allows attackers to execute malicious scripts in a user's browser. By placing a file with a specially crafted name in a directory served by the tool, an attacker can trigger a cross-site scripting (XSS) attack when a user views the directory index. This could lead to unauthorized actions being performed on behalf of the user or the theft of sensitive session information.

Technologies: [statics-server (npm)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/statics-server). Vendors: [npm](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/npm).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2018-3771 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2018-3771 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2018-3771?** Low severity, with a CVSS score of 3, published 13 May 2022.

**Which products and versions are affected?** statics-server (npm) SEMVER:introduced=0,last_affected=0.0.9.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2018-3771?** No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.

**How is CVE-2018-3771 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2018-3771?** Check whether you run statics-server (npm) at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Technical details

A cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability exists in statics-server versions 0.0.9 and earlier. The vulnerability is located in the directory indexing logic within `index.js`, where filenames are retrieved via `fs.readdirSync` and concatenated into HTML `<a>` tags without proper escaping or neutralization. An attacker can exploit this by creating a file with a name containing HTML tags, such as an `<iframe>` or `<script>`. When a victim navigates to the directory listing, the malicious payload is rendered and executed in the context of the victim's browser session. This is classified as CWE-79.

## Affected products

- statics-server project statics-server <= 0.0.9

## Identifiers

- CVE-2018-3771
- GHSA-393x-fr59-r8fg

## Timeline

- 2018-07-20: advisory: NVD published CVE-2018-3771
- 2022-05-13: disclosed: GitHub Advisory published

## References

- [https://hackerone.com/reports/355458](https://hackerone.com/reports/355458)

## Related threats

- [statics-server path traversal via symlinks](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2019-15596-statics-server-path-traversal-via-symlinks)
- [statics-server path traversal](https://junglewise.ai/threats/statics-server-path-traversal-a60a155c)