9.8

CVE-2023-32002: nodejs node

Modified
AliasesALPINE-CVE-2023-32002UBUNTU-CVE-2023-32002DEBIAN-CVE-2023-32002
Published 21-08-2023Last modified 02-07-2025

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2023-32002 is a critical (CVSS 9.8) vulnerability in nodejs node. EPSS estimates a 1.61% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 75.9% of scored vulnerabilities.

Priority
Prioritisesevere

Severe, CVSS 9.8 (CVE.org); no exploitation reported by the 5 checked sources; EPSS 2% (FIRST, 03-11-2026)

Source freshness unavailable

How is this decided?
CVSS score
9.8/10
010
Critical · v3.1 (CVE.org)
EPSS score
1.61%
0%100%
Low · 0.00 pp in 30 days
KEVNot listedNot listed by any tracked catalog.
RansomwareNot flaggedNo ransomware use recorded.
Public exploits0No public exploits recorded

Advisory lineage

Upstream 0 · Downstream 18 · Related 14
DSA-5589-1MGASA-2023-0264OPENSUSE-SU-2024:13117-1RHSA-2023:5360RHSA-2023:5361RHSA-2023:5362

Timeline

  1. 21-08-2023
    PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
  2. 02-07-2025
    Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

The use of `Module._load()` can bypass the policy mechanism and require modules outside of the policy.json definition for a given module. This vulnerability affects all users using the experimental policy mechanism in all active release lines: 16.x, 18.x and, 20.x. Please note that at the time this CVE was issued, the policy is an experimental feature of Node.js.

CVSS metrics

7 scores · 7 sources · 1 version

EPSS trend

Probability

1.61%

Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days

Percentile

76%

Versus all other CVEs

30-day change

No change 0.00 pp

From 1.61% on 04-10-2026

04-10-202603-11-2026

Known exploited

Compare KEV catalogs
CISA KEV

Not in the CISA KEV catalog.

ENISA CNW

Not in the ENISA CNW catalog.

CIRCL

Not in the CIRCL catalog.

Public exploits

0 found

No public exploits indexed.

Weaknesses

CWE · root cause

Affected systems

Version check

Known conditions: network-reachable, no authentication, no user interaction (CVSS vector). Other conditions: not stated in public data.

Chainguard3 products
  • nodejs-16< 16.20.2-r0
  • nodejs-18< 18.17.1-r0
  • nodejs-20< 20.5.1-r0
Wolfi3 products
  • nodejs-16< 16.20.2-r0
  • nodejs-18< 18.17.1-r0
  • nodejs-20< 20.5.1-r0
Nodejs2 products
  • node≥ 4.0, < 4.* | ≥ 5.0, < 5.* | ≥ 6.0, < 6.* | ≥ 7.0, < 7.* | ≥ 8.0, < 8.* | ≥ 9.0, < 9.* | ≥ 10.0, < 10.* | ≥ 11.0, < 11.* | ≥ 12.0, < 12.* | ≥ 13.0, < 13.* | ≥ 14.0, < 14.* | ≥ 15.0, < 15.* | ≥ 16.0, < 16.20.2 | ≥ 17.0, < 17.* | ≥ 18.0, < 18.17.1 | ≥ 19.0, < 19.* | ≥ 20.0, < 20.5.1
  • node.js≥ 16.0.0, ≤ 16.20.1 | ≥ 18.0.0, ≤ 18.17.0 | ≥ 20.0.0, ≤ 20.5.0
Alpine1 product
  • nodejs< 16.20.2-r0 | < 18.17.1-r0
Debian1 product
  • nodejs< 18.19.0+dfsg-6~deb12u1 | < 18.13.0+dfsg1-1.1
Ubuntu1 product
  • nodejs< 12.22.9~dfsg-1ubuntu3.6

6 vendors · 11 products

References

12 links
Show all 12 references