Privilege Escalation Vulnerability in Node.js 20 with Experimental Permission Model

CVE-2023-30586 · HIGH Severity

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N

A privilege escalation vulnerability exists in Node.js 20 that allowed loading arbitrary OpenSSL engines when the experimental permission model is enabled, which can bypass and/or disable the permission model. The attack complexity is high. However, the crypto.setEngine() API can be used to bypass the permission model when called with a compatible OpenSSL engine. The OpenSSL engine can, for example, disable the permission model in the host process by manipulating the process's stack memory to locate the permission model Permission::enabled_ in the host process's heap memory. Please note that at the time this CVE was issued, the permission model is an experimental feature of Node.js.

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