Cyber Resilience

CVE-2025-55131

Memory Safety

Memory Safety
Published
20 January 2026
Modified
15 July 2026
CVSS Score v3.1 7.1
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L
EPSS Score 0.033 87th percentile
Risk Priority 58 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2025-55131 is a high-severity Classic Buffer Overflow (CWE-120) vulnerability in Nodejs (inferred from references). Its CVSS base score is 7.1 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploitation for Privilege Escalation (T1068); ranked in the top 13% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to AC-3 (Access Enforcement) and AC-4 (Information Flow Enforcement) — see the control section below for these in your framework.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

A01:2025 Broken Access Control

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

A flaw in Node.js's buffer allocation logic can expose uninitialized memory when allocations are interrupted, when using the `vm` module with the timeout option. Under specific timing conditions, buffers allocated with `Buffer.alloc` and other `TypedArray` instances like `Uint8Array` may contain…

more

leftover data from previous operations, allowing in-process secrets like tokens or passwords to leak or causing data corruption. While exploitation typically requires precise timing or in-process code execution, it can become remotely exploitable when untrusted input influences workload and timeouts, leading to potential confidentiality and integrity impact.

CWE(s)
CWE-120CWE-497

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation Privilege Escalation
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in an attempt to elevate privileges.
attack.mitre.org →
T1082 System Information Discovery Discovery
An adversary may attempt to get detailed information about the operating system and hardware, including version, patches, hotfixes, service packs, and architecture.
attack.mitre.org →
T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
attack.mitre.org →
T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution Execution
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in client applications to execute code.
attack.mitre.org →
T1210 Exploitation of Remote Services Lateral Movement
Adversaries may exploit remote services to gain unauthorized access to internal systems once inside of a network.
attack.mitre.org →
T1212 Exploitation for Credential Access Credential Access
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in an attempt to collect credentials.
attack.mitre.org →
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2025-25900Shared CWE-120
CVE-2026-30006Shared CWE-120
CVE-2026-43807Shared CWE-120
CVE-2025-45058Shared CWE-120
CVE-2024-7157Shared CWE-120
CVE-2025-52863Shared CWE-120
CVE-2023-27061Shared CWE-120
CVE-2023-33082Shared CWE-120
CVE-2024-20454Shared CWE-120
CVE-2023-24482Shared CWE-120

Affected Assets

Nodejs
—
inferred from references and description; NVD did not file a CPE for this CVE

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

—

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

—

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)
  • 5 hardening rules · 4 OS baselines
Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V5.2.1
  • V14.1.2

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

AC-3 Access Enforcement good match

Enforces approved authorizations for logical access, directly stopping unauthorized actors from reaching sensitive system information.

AC-4 Information Flow Enforcement good match

Enforces information flow policies that block sensitive system data from crossing into unauthorized control spheres.

AC-6 Least Privilege good match

Limits privileges so that only the minimum necessary access is granted, reducing the chance of exposing system-level details.

SA-11 Developer Testing and Evaluation good match

Developer testing and analysis can find missing size checks before deployment.

SI-10 Information Input Validation good match

Input validation directly enforces size checks before buffer copies.

SA-8 Security and Privacy Engineering Principles partial match

Engineering principles require bounds checking and safe buffer handling in design.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.AA-05 mostly match
prevents

Enforcing least-privilege access permissions directly prevents unauthorized actors from reaching sensitive system information.

PR.IR-01 mostly match
prevents

Protecting environments from unauthorized logical access stops exposure of internal system details to outsiders.

PR.PS-06 mostly match
prevents

Secure development practices directly enforce bounds checking and input validation that prevent classic buffer overflows.

ID.RA-01 partial match
prevents

Vulnerability identification processes such as code review or scanning detect classic buffer overflows before exploitation.

PR.PS-02 partial match
prevents

Routine patching replaces vulnerable code containing unchecked buffer copies with corrected versions.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

A.8.28 Secure coding mostly match
prevents

Secure coding directly requires bounds-checked memory operations, addressing the root cause of CWE-120.

A.8.29 Security testing in development and acceptance mostly match
finds

Security testing in development and acceptance can detect buffer overflows through fuzzing and static analysis, though it does not prevent them at the source.

A.8.25 Secure development life cycle partial match
prevents

Secure development life cycle mandates processes that can include input validation and bounds checking to prevent buffer overflows.

A.8.26 Application security requirements partial match
prevents

Application security requirements can specify input-size validation and safe buffer handling to mitigate classic buffer overflows.

A.8.27 Secure system architecture and engineering principles partial match
prevents

Secure system architecture and engineering principles promote defensive coding patterns that reduce the likelihood of unchecked buffer copies.

A.7.3 Securing offices, rooms and facilities none match
none

Keeping internal maps, directories, and signage from public view prevents disclosure of system or facility details that could aid reconnaissance or targeted attacks.

Hardening callouts derived

Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (authoritative rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).

Oracle Linux 8 (2 rules)
  • V-248551 A sticky bit must be set on all OL 8 public directories to prevent unauthorized and unintended information transferred via shared system resources. prevents CWE-497
  • V-248580 OL 8 must prevent kernel profiling by unprivileged users. prevents CWE-497
RHEL 8 (1 rule)
  • V-230270 RHEL 8 must prevent kernel profiling by unprivileged users. prevents CWE-497
Ubuntu 22.04 (1 rule)
  • V-260470 Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, when booted, must require authentication upon booting into single-user and maintenance modes. prevents CWE-497
Ubuntu 24.04 (1 rule)
  • V-270675 Ubuntu 24.04 LTS when booted must require authentication upon booting into single-user and maintenance modes. prevents CWE-497

References