Node.jsApplication
CVE-2023-32006
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 · uneditedThe use of `module.constructor.createRequire()` 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.
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 confidenceThe `module.constructor.createRequire()` function in Node.js can create a new require function that bypasses the experimental policy mechanism, allowing modules to be loaded outside the boundaries defined in policy.json. This defeats the purpose of the policy mechanism which is intended to restrict module loading to an approved set defined in policy.json.
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
>= 16.0.0, <= 16.20.1>= 18.0.0, <= 18.17.0>= 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
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
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.
-
Check Node.js versionRun `node --version` to get the installed Node.js versionAffected if Version falls within 16.0.0-16.20.1, 18.0.0-18.17.0, or 20.0.0-20.5.0
-
Verify policy mechanism is enabledLook for a policy.json file in the project root or check if Node.js was launched with --experimental-policy pointing to a policy fileAffected if A policy.json file exists and is being enforced by Node.js
-
Search for createRequire usageSearch codebase for `module.constructor.createRequire` or `require('module').createRequire` patternsAffected if Code uses the createRequire function to load modules
You are affected if you run an affected Node.js version, have a policy.json file enforcing module restrictions, and your codebase uses module.constructor.createRequire() to bypass those restrictions.
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 · scopedUpgrade to a patched Node.js version (16.x, 18.x, or 20.x per your release line). If immediate patching is not possible, audit code for use of createRequire and consider disabling the experimental policy mechanism until a fix can be applied.
Node.js 16.20.2+ (16.x), 18.18.0+ (18.x), or 20.6.0+ (20.x)
- Identify the currently installed Node.js version using `node --version`
- For Node.js 16.x users: upgrade to version 16.20.2 or later (e.g., 16.20.2, 18.18.0, 20.6.0)
- For Node.js 18.x users: upgrade to version 18.18.0 or later
- For Node.js 20.x users: upgrade to version 20.6.0 or later
- Verify the upgrade was successful by running `node --version`
- If using policy mechanism, test that module.require() and createRequire() both correctly respect policy.json
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
Fix this in Node.js
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation3.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing3.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $3,408.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-32006 — 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-2023-32006 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
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.
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
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data