The Node.js project has issued urgent security updates after disclosing a high-severity vulnerability that could allow remote attackers to crash Node.js processes, potentially halting critical services and causing widespread denial of service across affected systems.
High-Severity Flaw: CVE-2025-23166
The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2025-23166, stems from improper error handling in asynchronous cryptographic operations.
According to the Node.js security advisory, the underlying issue lies in the C++ method SignTraits::DeriveBits(), which may incorrectly call ThrowException() based on user-supplied inputs while running in a background thread.
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This flaw enables an attacker to remotely trigger a crash in the Node.js process by exploiting cryptographic operations that frequently handle untrusted input.
Because cryptographic operations are foundational to authentication, data protection, and secure communications, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to any Node.js application exposed to the internet.
Exploitation can lead to immediate service outages, disrupting business operations and potentially impacting millions of users.
“Such cryptographic operations are commonly applied to untrusted inputs. Thus, this mechanism potentially allows an adversary to remotely crash a Node.js runtime,” the Node.js team warned in its advisory.
This vulnerability affects all active Node.js release lines, including versions 20.x, 22.x, 23.x, and 24.x. End-of-Life (EOL) versions are also impacted, but may not receive further updates, leaving them perpetually vulnerable unless upgraded.
The Node.js team also addressed other security issues in its latest releases, including a medium-severity HTTP header parsing flaw (CVE-2025-23167) and a low-severity memory leak bug (CVE-2025-23165), but CVE-2025-23166 remains the most urgent due to its potential for remote denial of service.
Urgent Call to Action
Developers and organizations running Node.js are strongly urged to update to the latest patched versions immediately. Security releases for all supported lines – 20.19.2 (LTS), 22.15.1 (LTS), 23.11.1 (Current), and 24.0.2 (Current) – are now available and include the critical fix for CVE-2025-23166.
Failure to update leaves systems open to remote crashes, service disruptions, and potential exploitation by malicious actors.
The Node.js team emphasizes the importance of staying current with security releases, especially for production environments where uptime and reliability are paramount.
For detailed guidance and ongoing updates, users should refer to the official Node.js security policy and subscribe to security advisories through the Node.js-sec mailing list.
The newly disclosed Node.js vulnerability (CVE-2025-23166) allows attackers to remotely crash Node.js processes, threatening the stability of services worldwide. Immediate patching is essential to safeguard systems and maintain operational continuity.
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