# CVE-2021-3994: PYSEC-2021-438 - django-helpdesk is vulnerable to Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2021-3994-django-helpdesk-cross-site-scripting  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2021-12-01. Updated: 2026-09-26  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2021-3994 · Severity: low · CVSS 3 · Published 2021-12-01

django-helpdesk is a Django application for managing IT support tickets and helpdesk operations. A Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the application allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in users' browsers, potentially compromising session cookies, redirecting users to phishing sites, or defacing helpdesk pages viewed by staff and customers.

Technologies: [django-helpdesk (PyPI)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/django-helpdesk). Vendors: [PyPI](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/pypi).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2021-3994 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2021-3994 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2021-3994?** Low severity, with a CVSS score of 3, published 1 December 2021.

**Which products and versions are affected?** django-helpdesk (PyPI) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=0,fixed=0.3.2, GIT:introduced=0,fixed=a22eb0673fe0b7784f99c6b5fd343b64a6700f06|ECOSYSTEM:introduced=0,fixed=0.3.2.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2021-3994?** Yes. django-helpdesk (PyPI): upgrade to 0.3.2 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2021-3994 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2021-3994?** Check whether you run django-helpdesk (PyPI) 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.

## How to fix

- django-helpdesk (PyPI): upgrade to 0.3.2 or later

  ```sh
  pip install "django-helpdesk>=0.3.2"
  ```


## Technical details

django-helpdesk contains an improper input neutralization vulnerability (CWE-79) allowing Cross-site Scripting attacks. The vulnerability stems from insufficient escaping in markdown pattern handling, as evidenced by a pattern regex fix in the codebase that removed problematic escaping sequences. The attack requires user interaction (UI:R) and is network-accessible with no authentication required. An attacker can inject malicious JavaScript through markdown processing that executes in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability has been patched in version 0.3.2 and later.

## Affected products

- django-helpdesk django-helpdesk before 0.3.2

## Identifiers

- CVE-2021-3994
- GHSA-2v5j-q74q-r53f
- PYSEC-2021-438

## Timeline

- 2021-12-01: disclosed: NVD published
- 2021-12-03: advisory: GHSA-2v5j-q74q-r53f published
- 2021-12-03: patched: Fixed in version 0.3.2

## References

- [https://github.com/django-helpdesk/django-helpdesk/commit/a22eb0673fe0b7784f99c6b5fd343b64a6700f06](https://github.com/django-helpdesk/django-helpdesk/commit/a22eb0673fe0b7784f99c6b5fd343b64a6700f06)

## Related threats

- [PYSEC-2025-44 - django-helpdesk before 1.0.0 allows Sensitive Data Exposure because of os.umask(0) in models.py.](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2018-25111-django-helpdesk-allows-sensitive-data-exposure)
- [PYSEC-2021-431 - django-helpdesk is vulnerable to Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2021-3950-cross-site-scripting-in-django-helpdesk)
- [PYSEC-2021-430 - django-helpdesk is vulnerable to Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2021-3945-cross-site-scripting-in-django-helpdesk)