Cyber Resilience

CVE-2023-32002

Critical

Published: 21 August 2023

Published
21 August 2023
Modified
02 July 2025
KEV Added
Patch
CVSS Score v3.1 9.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.0005 17.3th percentile
Risk Priority 20 60% EPSS · 20% KEV · 20% CVSS

Summary

CVE-2023-32002 is a critical-severity Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel (CWE-288) vulnerability in Nodejs Node.Js. Its CVSS base score is 9.8 (Critical).

Operationally, ranked at the 17.3th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability details

The use of `Module._load()` 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.…

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Please note that at the time this CVE was issued, the policy is an experimental feature of Node.js.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

No named actor attribution yet. ATT&CK technique mapping in progress for this CVE.

Affected Assets

nodejs
node.js
16.0.0 — 16.20.1 · 18.0.0 — 18.17.0 · 20.0.0 — 20.5.0

Mitigating Controls

Likely Mitigating Controls AI

Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.

addresses: CWE-288

Authorizing remote access reduces the ability to bypass authentication via unauthorized alternate remote channels.

addresses: CWE-288

Users can identify logons via alternate paths or channels by reviewing the previous logon time.

addresses: CWE-288

Adaptive requirements can apply across access paths, reducing the ability to bypass authentication via alternate channels or paths.

addresses: CWE-288

Centralized IdPs close alternate authentication paths that enable bypass.

addresses: CWE-288

Enforces authentication for non-organizational users, making it harder to bypass via alternate paths or channels.

addresses: CWE-288

Requires authentication to occur exclusively over the isolated trusted path, directly preventing bypass via alternate or untrusted channels.

References