A vulnerability has been discovered in Node.js version 20, specifically within the experimental permission model.
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Monitor (action score 36/100)
- The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 2.1% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 81.6% of all records.
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. A low-privileged account is enough. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
- Fixed version: NodeJS Node 10.*, 11.*, 12.*.
Low priority for now. Upgrade to NodeJS Node 10.*, 11.*, 12.* or later.
Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it
Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS
A vulnerability has been discovered in Node.js version 20, specifically within the experimental permission model. This flaw relates to improper handling of Buffers in file system APIs causing a traversal path to bypass when verifying file permissions. This vulnerability affects all users using the experimental permission model in Node.js 20. Please note that at the time this CVE was issued, the permission model is an experimental feature of Node.js.
- Published
- Aug 15, 2023
- Updated
- Jun 17, 2026
- EPSS
- 2.1% · 81th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-22
Report tools
Action score
36
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 35 / 40 · 8.8 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 1 / 30 · 2.1%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- none
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- total
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
Get told when this record changes
- Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
- No public exploit code on record
- A fix has been released
If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.
Running WordPress? Scan your site free with WP Lens
Noroxi analysis
What does it mean in your environment?
The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
Is your version affected?
Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| nodejs | node.js | cpe:2.3:a:nodejs:node.js |
| fedoraproject | fedora | cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora |
Using node.js? Add it to your stack and be the first to know about CVEs like this one. (Node.js)
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- nodejs node.js20.0.0 and later · up to 20.5.0 inclusive
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (hackerone). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
NodeJS Node
- 4.0 and later · before 4.*affected · semver
- 5.0 and later · before 5.*affected · semver
- 6.0 and later · before 6.*affected · semver
- 7.0 and later · before 7.*affected · semver
- 8.0 and later · before 8.*affected · semver
- 9.0 and later · before 9.*affected · semver
- 10.0 and later · before 10.*affected · semver
- 11.0 and later · before 11.*affected · semver
- 12.0 and later · before 12.*affected · semver
- 13.0 and later · before 13.*affected · semver
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE:Tumbleweed | nodejs20 | before 20.5.1-1.1 | 20.5.1-1.1 |
Same product
nodejs: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2019-15605HTTP request smuggling in Node.js 10, 12, and 13 causes malicious payload delivery when transfer-encoding is malformed56Plan
- CVE-2021-22883Node.js before 10.24.0, 12.21.0, 14.16.0, and 15.10.0 is vulnerable to a denial of service attack when too many connection attempts with an 53Plan
- CVE-2021-22930Node.js before 16.6.0, 14.17.4, and 12.22.4 is vulnerable to a use after free attack where an attacker might be able to exploit the memory c50Plan
Published before and after this one in the same product
- ← EarlierCVE-2023-30589Jul 1, 2023 · The llhttp parser in the http module in Node v20.2.0 does not strictly use the CRLF sequence to delimit HTTP requests.31Monitor
- ← EarlierCVE-2023-32003Aug 15, 2023 · `fs.mkdtemp()` and `fs.mkdtempSync()` can be used to bypass the permission model check using a path traversal attack.21Monitor
- Later →CVE-2023-32006Aug 15, 2023 · The use of `module.constructor.createRequire()` can bypass the policy mechanism and require modules outside of the policy.json definition fo35Monitor
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| NodeJS Node | 10.* | Vendor (CNA) |
| NodeJS Node | 11.* | Vendor (CNA) |
| NodeJS Node | 12.* | Vendor (CNA) |
| NodeJS Node | 13.* | Vendor (CNA) |
| NodeJS Node | 14.* | Vendor (CNA) |
| NodeJS Node | 15.* | Vendor (CNA) |
| NodeJS Node | 17.* | Vendor (CNA) |
| NodeJS Node | 19.* | Vendor (CNA) |
| NodeJS Node | 20.5.1 | Vendor (CNA) |
| NodeJS Node | 4.* | Vendor (CNA) |
| NodeJS Node | 5.* | Vendor (CNA) |
| NodeJS Node | 6.* | Vendor (CNA) |
| NodeJS Node | 7.* | Vendor (CNA) |
| NodeJS Node | 8.* | Vendor (CNA) |
| NodeJS Node | 9.* | Vendor (CNA) |
| opensuse:nodejs20 | 20.5.1-1.1 · openSUSE:Tumbleweed | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
—
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
- CVE-2023-320026 days apartThe use of `Module._load()` can bypass the policy mechanism and require modules outside of the policy.json definition for a given module.39Monitor
Bug bounty scope
The product’s vendor appears in a public program. Matched by name; verify the scope text in the program.
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- A low-privileged account is enough.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- high · data can be read
- Integrity
- high · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- High
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-22 · Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
nvd-primary
Root cause
A user-supplied file name is joined with the allowed directory, but the result is never checked to confirm it is still inside that directory.
The bug in code
The whole CWE-22 classA representative example of this vulnerability class. Not the vendor's source code; it shows the faulty pattern and its fix.
Vulnerable
const file = path.join(ROOT, req.query.name);res.sendFile(file);Fixed
const file = path.resolve(ROOT, req.query.name);if (!file.startsWith(ROOT + path.sep)) { return res.sendStatus(400);}res.sendFile(file);Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
- Path TraversalCAPEC-126likelihood: High · Very High
- Using Slashes and URL Encoding Combined to Bypass Validation LogicCAPEC-64likelihood: High · High
- Manipulating Web Input to File System CallsCAPEC-76likelihood: High · Very High
- Using Escaped Slashes in Alternate EncodingCAPEC-78likelihood: High · High
- Using Slashes in Alternate EncodingCAPEC-79likelihood: High · High
ATT&CK techniques
—
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
Show all references (3 more)Show less
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.