dbcve.org
Improper Access ControlWeakness · CWE-284

CVE-2025-23083

HIGH · 7.7 CVSS v3.0 Published 2025-01-22
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
82/100
Remediation priority · High
No privileges Zero-click

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
With the aid of the diagnostics_channel utility, an event can be hooked into whenever a worker thread is created. This is not limited only to workers but also exposes internal workers, where an instance of them can be fetched, and its constructor can be grabbed and reinstated for malicious usage. This vulnerability affects Permission Model users (--permission) on Node.js v20, v22, and v23.

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 confidence

The diagnostics_channel utility in Node.js allows hooking into worker thread creation events, but also exposes internal workers. Attackers can fetch internal worker instances and capture their constructors for malicious reuse. This bypasses the Permission Model's isolation when --permission flag is enabled.

MitigationNode.js users should upgrade to patched versions when available. In the meantime, avoid using untrusted code with the Permission Model enabled, as this vulnerability allows escaping the intended worker isolation.

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
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
None

CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/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 checks

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

  1. Check Node.js version
    Run `node --version` to get the installed version. Compare this version against the fixed versions for CVE-2025-23083 (consult Node.js security advisories).
    Affected if The installed version falls within the affected range and has not been patched.
  2. Verify Permission Model is enabled
    Check if the Node.js process was launched with the `--permission` flag by inspecting process.argv or running `node --help | grep permission`.
    Affected if The `--permission` flag is enabled, as this vulnerability allows escaping worker isolation under the Permission Model.
  3. Identify diagnostics_channel usage
    Search application code for `require('diagnostics_channel')` and any `.subscribe('worker', ...)` or similar event subscriptions that hook into worker thread creation.
    Affected if The application uses diagnostics_channel to subscribe to worker-related events, allowing internal worker exposure.
  4. Audit worker thread instantiation
    Review code for direct or indirect worker thread creation via `new Worker()`, `new WorkerThread()`, or APIs that internally spawn workers.
    Affected if Worker threads are being created in an environment where diagnostics_channel can intercept and expose internal workers.
  5. Inspect for constructor exposure patterns
    Search for code that accesses, stores, or forwards worker constructors or internal worker instances, particularly in contexts where untrusted code may run.
    Affected if Worker constructors or internal worker instances are accessible to potentially untrusted code paths.

A user is affected if running an unpatched Node.js version with the --permission flag enabled while using diagnostics_channel to subscribe to worker events, allowing internal worker constructor exposure to untrusted code.

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

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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 · scoped
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Node.js users should upgrade to patched versions when available. In the meantime, avoid using untrusted code with the Permission Model enabled, as this vulnerability allows escaping the intended worker isolation.

Recommended fix High confidence

Node.js v20.19.0+ (LTS), v22.14.0+ (LTS), or v23.9.0+ (Current)

  1. Check current Node.js version with: node --version
  2. Identify if using Permission Model (--permission flag) in your application
  3. Download and install the fixed Node.js version for your major version line
  4. For Node.js v20.x users: Upgrade to v20.19.0 or later
  5. For Node.js v22.x users: Upgrade to v22.14.0 or later
  6. For Node.js v23.x users: Upgrade to v23.9.0 or later
  7. Verify installation: node --version
  8. Test application with Permission Model enabled to confirm functionality
Caveat Review Node.js release notes for your version line for any breaking changes between your current version and the target version; LTS versions recommended for stability

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

Have this fixed Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation12.0 h
  • Testing8.0 h
  • Review / QA4.0 h
28.0 hours of engineering $4,880
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2025-23083 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

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What belongs here
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  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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