CVE-2025-0716: New AngularJS Vulnerability Highlights the Hidden Risks of Legacy Frameworks

When software reaches end-of-life, vulnerabilities don’t stop—they multiply. The latest example is CVE-2025-0716, a medium-severity vulnerability in AngularJS that exposes applications to content spoofing attacks through improper image sanitization.

If you still depend on AngularJS in production, this is a wake-up call you can’t ignore.

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What Happened: SVG <image> Sanitization Failure

AngularJS was designed to simplify dynamic applications by extending HTML’s capabilities. Part of that system included security mechanisms like image source sanitization, which protects developers from accidentally exposing users to malicious images.

However, CVE-2025-0716 reveals a critical gap: when using ngHref, ngAttrHref, or interpolation within SVG <image> elements, AngularJS fails to sanitize the image source properly.

This means an attacker could inject unauthorized images, mask phishing attempts inside trusted interfaces, or deliver oversized payloads that degrade site performance.

Even if you thought your $compileProvider settings locked things down, this bypass quietly unlocks the door.

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Why It Matters

At first glance, a missing sanitization check might sound like a niche issue. But in practice, content spoofing creates serious risks:

• Phishing vectors: Injecting fake login prompts under your domain.
  
  
• Brand damage: Users encountering unauthorized or malicious content tied to your company’s reputation.
  
  
• Security trust erosion: Every vulnerability weakens customer confidence.
  
  

And because AngularJS reached End-of-Life years ago, no official patch is coming. Without commercial support, legacy AngularJS applications are stuck carrying growing security debt.

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How to Protect Your Application

If your application still relies on AngularJS, there are two critical paths forward:

1. Migrate Off AngularJS:
   Long-term, migrating to a supported modern framework is the safest move. However, migrations are costly, time-consuming, and risky for large systems.
   
   
2. Secure AngularJS with Ongoing Support:
   If migration isn’t immediately possible, partner with a vendor who actively supports EOL frameworks. HeroDevs’ AngularJS NES (Never-Ending Support) addresses vulnerabilities like CVE-2025-0716 and keeps legacy apps hardened against emerging threats.

HeroDevs has already patched this vulnerability in AngularJS NES versions 1.9.8 and v1.5.24, protecting supported customers today, not someday.

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Final Thoughts

Legacy frameworks don’t just "work forever" — they quietly decay until vulnerabilities create business-critical failures.

Don’t let unsupported software expose your users and reputation. If you’re still running AngularJS in production, it’s time to take security seriously.

Learn more about HeroDevs NES and how we keep AngularJS secure, even after EOL.

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