CVE-2023-30587
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.
NVD · uneditedA vulnerability in Node.js version 20 allows for bypassing restrictions set by the --experimental-permission flag using the built-in inspector module (node:inspector). By exploiting the Worker class's ability to create an "internal worker" with the kIsInternal Symbol, attackers can modify the isInternal value when an inspector is attached within the Worker constructor before initializing a new WorkerImpl. This vulnerability exclusively affects Node.js users employing the permission model mechanism. Please note that at the time this CVE was issued, the permission model is an experimental feature of Node.js.
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.
dbcve analysis · moderate confidenceNode.js v20 contains a vulnerability in the experimental permission model where attackers can bypass --experimental-permission restrictions using the inspector module. The Worker class allows creation of 'internal workers' via the kIsInternal Symbol, and when an inspector is attached within the Worker constructor before WorkerImpl initialization, attackers can manipulate the isInternal flag to circumvent permission checks.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
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.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- None
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
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.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Check Node.js versionRun `node --version` to determine the installed Node.js versionAffected if The version is 20.x (any minor/patch release of Node.js v20)
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Verify experimental permission flag usageInspect your Node.js startup scripts, process arguments, or environment variables (NODE_OPTIONS) for the presence of `--experimental-permission` flagAffected if The `--experimental-permission` flag is enabled in your Node.js runtime configuration
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Confirm inspector module accessibilityReview application code and dependencies to determine if the inspector module (or V8 inspector API) is accessible, either directly via `require('inspector')` or indirectly through debugging/profiling endpointsAffected if The inspector module can be loaded or debug endpoints are reachable in your environment
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Check Worker class usageSearch codebase for Worker constructor usage (`new Worker(...)`) from the worker_threads moduleAffected if Your application uses the Worker class from worker_threads module alongside experimental permissions
You are affected if you run Node.js v20 with --experimental-permission enabled AND your environment allows access to the inspector module or Worker threads, as the permission model can be bypassed in this configuration.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
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.
From vendor dataAvoid using the experimental permission model (--experimental-permission) for security-critical restrictions in production environments until a patch is available; monitor Node.js security advisories for updates.
- Consultation8.0 h
- Testing4.0 h
- Review / QA4.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $4,672.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-30587 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2023-30587 in production — separate from our analysis above.
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
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- 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
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