Javascript SdkApplication · Matrix

CVE-2023-28427

HIGH · 8.2 CVSS v3.1 Published 2023-03-28

Fix available

A fix is available. Upgrade to 24.0.0 or later.

See remediation →

91/100

Remediation priority · Urgent

Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

Official description

NVD · unedited

matrix-js-sdk is a Matrix messaging protocol Client-Server SDK for JavaScript. In versions prior to 24.0.0 events sent with special strings in key places can temporarily disrupt or impede the matrix-js-sdk from functioning properly, potentially impacting the consumer's ability to process data safely. Note that the matrix-js-sdk can appear to be operating normally but be excluding or corrupting runtime data presented to the consumer. This vulnerability is distinct from GHSA-rfv9-x7hh-xc32 which covers a similar issue. The issue has been patched in matrix-js-sdk 24.0.0 and users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability.

Technical summary

dbcve analysis · high confidence

The matrix-js-sdk versions prior to 24.0.0 are vulnerable to a data integrity issue where events containing special strings in key places can disrupt SDK functionality. The SDK may appear operational while silently excluding or corrupting runtime data presented to the consumer, leading to potential data processing safety issues.

MitigationUpgrade to matrix-js-sdk version 24.0.0 or later. No workarounds are available; immediate upgrade is recommended given the CVSS 8.2 score and potential for silent data corruption.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions

NVD · CPE data

Javascript SdkApplication

Affected:< 24.0.0

CVSS breakdown

From the vector

Attack vector: Network
Complexity: Low
Privileges: None
User interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged
Confidentiality: None
Integrity: Low
Availability: High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H

Am I affected?

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

Identify the installed matrix-js-sdk version

Run 'npm list matrix-js-sdk' or check package.json/package-lock.json for the matrix-js-sdk version entry

Affected if The version listed is less than 24.0.0 (e.g., 23.x.x, 22.x.x, etc.)
Verify package manager lockfile version

Inspect package-lock.json, yarn.lock, or pnpm-lock.yaml for the resolved matrix-js-sdk version

Affected if The resolved version in the lockfile is < 24.0.0
Check direct vs transitive dependency

If matrix-js-sdk is a transitive dependency, trace its source package to confirm the actual version being used in the build

Affected if The resolved version through the dependency tree is < 24.0.0

If any resolved instance of matrix-js-sdk in your environment is version 24.0.0 or higher, you are not affected by this CVE; if all instances are below 24.0.0, you are vulnerable to silent data corruption when the SDK processes events containing special strings.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Remediation

dbcve · scoped

Upgrade available Upgrade to 24.0.0 or later

Fixed in 24.0.0

Interim mitigation

Upgrade to matrix-js-sdk version 24.0.0 or later. No workarounds are available; immediate upgrade is recommended given the CVSS 8.2 score and potential for silent data corruption.

Recommended fix High confidence

24.0.0

Identify the current version of matrix-js-sdk in your project by checking package.json or using npm list matrix-js-sdk
Update the matrix-js-sdk dependency to version 24.0.0 or later by running: npm install matrix-js-sdk@^24.0.0 or yarn add matrix-js-sdk@^24.0.0
Verify the upgrade was successful by checking the installed version: npm list matrix-js-sdk
Run your test suite to ensure the upgrade does not break existing functionality
Rebuild and redeploy your application

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Javascript Sdk Scoped from the published advisory

Consultation3.0 h
Implementation2.0 h
Testing6.0 h
Review / QA3.0 h

14.0 hours of engineering $2,400

Get the upgrade done

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $3,840.

Scan for this in your stack

Free · runs locally

dbcve dependency scanner

Check whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-28427 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.

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References

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2023-28427 in production — separate from our analysis above.

Notes0 Guidelines

Know something about CVE-2023-28427?

The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.

The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
A config change or rule that shut the vector down
A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon

No notes yet

Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.

What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here

Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data

At a glance

A fix existsUpgrade to 24.0.0 or later

Severity 8.2 High

Exploit likelihood EPSS, next 30 days 1.2%

Affects: Javascript Sdk

Remediation

A high-priority fix

Fix this in Javascript Sdk 14 hrs · Moderate

Typical engagement from $2,400

Get a fix See the full breakdown ↓

A high-priority vulnerability. Send your environment and a specialist will scope CVE-2023-28427 and return a fixed quote and timeline.

You’ll deal with our team directly and deploy the reviewed fix to staging first — never straight to production.

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

Check your environment

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

Scan for this in your stack

References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Practitioner notes

No notes yet

Official description

Technical summary

Affected products & versions

CVSS breakdown

Am I affected?

Remediation

References