CVE-2018-7166

Description

In all versions of Node.js 10 prior to 10.9.0, an argument processing flaw can cause `Buffer.alloc()` to return uninitialized memory. This method is intended to be safe and only return initialized, or cleared, memory. The third argument specifying `encoding` can be passed as a number, this is misinterpreted by `Buffer's` internal "fill" method as the `start` to a fill operation. This flaw may be abused where `Buffer.alloc()` arguments are derived from user input to return uncleared memory blocks that may contain sensitive information.

CVSS Metrics

• v3.1•HIGH•Score: 7.5CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
• v2.0•MEDIUM•Score: 5AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N

EPSS Trends

Current EPSS score: 0.86%• Percentile: 75%

Techniques & Countermeasures

• CWE-908•Use of Uninitialized Resource

  The product uses or accesses a resource that has not been initialized.

• CWE-226•Sensitive Information in Resource Not Removed Before Reuse

  The product releases a resource such as memory or a file so that it can be made available for reuse, but it does not clear or "zeroize" the information contained in the resource before the product performs a critical state transition or makes the resource available for reuse by other entities.

Affected Systems

• nodejs•node.js

  ≥ 10.0.0, < 10.9.0

• the node.js project•node.js

  All versions of Node.js 10 prior to 10.9.0

References (2)

• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:2553
• https://nodejs.org/en/blog/vulnerability/august-2018-security-releases/