CVE-2023-46809
npm vulnerability analysis and mitigation

Overview

CVE-2023-46809 is a vulnerability in Node.js's privateDecrypt() API of the crypto library, discovered in February 2024. The vulnerability affects Node.js versions 18.x, 20.x, and 21.x that bundle an unpatched version of OpenSSL or run against a dynamically linked version of OpenSSL which are unpatched (NodeJS Blog).

Technical details

The vulnerability is a timing variant of the Bleichenbacher attack against PKCS#1 v1.5 padding, also known as the Marvin Attack. It allows a covert timing side-channel during PKCS#1 v1.5 padding error handling, revealing significant timing differences in decryption between valid and invalid ciphertexts (NodeJS Blog).

Impact

The vulnerability poses a serious threat as attackers could remotely exploit it to decrypt captured RSA ciphertexts or forge signatures, particularly in scenarios involving API endpoints processing Json Web Encryption messages (NodeJS Blog).

Mitigation and workarounds

The vulnerability has been addressed in security updates released on February 14, 2024. Users are advised to update to the patched versions of Node.js that include OpenSSL version 3.0.13+quic1 (NodeJS Blog).

Additional resources


SourceThis report was generated using AI

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