SVG Security Best Practices  Safe SVG Embedding Guide
SVG files can contain executable scripts and external resource requests  follow these practices before serving user-uploaded SVGs.
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SVG Security Risks to Know
SVG is XML that supports `<script>`, event handlers (onclick, onload), CSS with external imports, and `<foreignObject>` embedding HTML. An unsanitized user-uploaded SVG is an XSS vector.
- <script> tags execute JavaScript when SVG is inlined
- onload, onclick attributes run event handler code
- <image href='http://...'> leaks user IP to external server
How to Safely Serve User-Uploaded SVGs
Sanitize SVGs server-side with DOMPurify (Node) or svg-sanitizer (Python). Serve via `<img src>` instead of inline  img context blocks scripts. Add Content-Security-Policy headers and never serve from the same origin as your app.
- Sanitize with DOMPurify before storing or serving
- Serve user SVGs from a separate sandbox domain
- Use <img> not inline <svg> for untrusted content
Frequently Asked Questions
Can SVG files contain viruses or malware?
SVG can contain JavaScript that runs in a browser. While not a traditional virus, malicious SVG can steal cookies, redirect users, or exfiltrate data via XSS.
Is it safe to display SVG in an <img> tag?
Yes  SVG in <img> context runs in a restricted sandbox: scripts and external resource loading are blocked, making it safe for user-uploaded content.
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