Node.jsApplication
CVE-2023-32003
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 · unedited`fs.mkdtemp()` and `fs.mkdtempSync()` can be used to bypass the permission model check using a path traversal attack. This flaw arises from a missing check in the fs.mkdtemp() API and the impact is a malicious actor could create an arbitrary directory. This vulnerability affects all users using the experimental permission model in Node.js 20. 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 · high confidenceNode.js 20's fs.mkdtemp() and fs.mkdtempSync() functions lack proper path traversal checks, allowing attackers to bypass the experimental permission model and create arbitrary directories outside the intended scope by manipulating the prefix path with directory traversal sequences.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
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.
NVD · CPE data
Node.jsApplication
>= 20.0.0, <= 20.5.0
FedoraOperating system
= 37= 38CVSS 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
- Low
- Availability
- None
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/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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Identify Node.js versionRun 'node --version' in the terminal to determine the installed Node.js version.Affected if The version is >= 20.0.0 and <= 20.5.0.
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Confirm experimental permission model is activeCheck if Node.js is launched with the --experimental-permission flag by reviewing process arguments, startup scripts, or running 'ps aux | grep node' to inspect command-line flags.Affected if The experimental permission model (--experimental-permission) is enabled.
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Audit code for mkdtemp usage with external inputSearch codebase for usages of fs.mkdtemp() or fs.mkdtempSync() and inspect whether the prefix argument accepts user-controlled or unvalidated input, including query parameters, file uploads, or API inputs.Affected if The prefix argument to mkdtemp or mkdtempSync can be influenced by external input and contains or could contain '../' sequences.
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Review directory creation operations in logsExamine application logs, file system monitoring alerts, or audit logs for unexpected directory creation events outside the expected temp directory.Affected if Directories are being created outside the intended temp directory scope.
You are affected if running Node.js version 20.0.0-20.5.0 with the experimental permission model enabled and your code uses fs.mkdtemp() or fs.mkdtempSync() with externally-influenced prefix paths.
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.
dbcve · scopedAvoid using the experimental permission model in production until the patch is released; once available, upgrade Node.js to the patched version.
Node.js 20.6.0 or later (or latest 20.x stable release)
- Check current Node.js version by running: node --version
- Upgrade Node.js to version 20.6.0 or later. For Linux/macOS, use a version manager like nvm (nvm install 20.6.0) or download from nodejs.org
- For Fedora systems, update via: sudo dnf update nodejs
- Verify the upgrade was successful by running: node --version
- Test that your application still functions correctly with the new Node.js version
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
Fix this in Node.js
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing3.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $2,800.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-32003 — 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-2023-32003 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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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.
- 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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