Improper access control in NodeJS node
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Security bypass
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-284.
Summary
A flaw in Node.js's permission model allows Unix Domain Socket (UDS) connections to bypass network restrictions when `--permission` is enabled. Even without `--allow-net`, attacker-controlled inputs (such as URLs or socketPath options) can connect to arbitrary local sockets via net, tls, or undici/fetch. This breaks the intended security boundary of the permission model and enables access to privileged local services, potentially leading to privilege escalation, data exposure, or local code execution. * The issue affects users of the Node.js permission model on version v25. In the moment of this vulnerability, network permissions (`--allow-net`) are still in the experimental phase.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- Yes
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
Remediation
Red Hat 4 advisories
- RHSA-2026:7387 Released 2026-04-10 · Red Hat rating ImportantRed Hat Hardened Images RPMs bug fix and enhancement update
- Red Hat Hardened Images nodejs22-22.22.0-1.3.hum1@aarch64, nodejs22-22.22.0-1.3.hum1@src, nodejs22-22.22.0-1.3.hum1@x86_64 +14
- RHSA-2026:7386 Released 2026-04-10 · Red Hat rating ImportantRed Hat Hardened Images RPMs bug fix and enhancement update
- Red Hat Hardened Images nodejs20-20.20.0-7.1.hum1@aarch64, nodejs20-20.20.0-7.1.hum1@src, nodejs20-20.20.0-7.1.hum1@x86_64 +14
- RHSA-2026:6431 Released 2026-04-02 · Red Hat rating ImportantRed Hat Hardened Images RPMs bug fix and enhancement update
- Red Hat Hardened Images nodejs25-25.9.0-1.hum1@aarch64, nodejs25-25.9.0-1.hum1@src, nodejs25-25.9.0-1.hum1@x86_64 +14
Show 1 more Red Hat advisories
- RHSA-2026:6402 Released 2026-04-01 · Red Hat rating ImportantRed Hat Hardened Images RPMs bug fix and enhancement update
- Red Hat Hardened Images nodejs24-24.14.1-4.hum1@aarch64, nodejs24-24.14.1-4.hum1@src, nodejs24-24.14.1-4.hum1@x86_64 +14
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Hardened Images | Fixed | RHSA-2026:6402, RHSA-2026:6431, RHSA-2026:7386, RHSA-2026:7387 |
Not affected: 4 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat Hardened Images
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-21636
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-7xhv-hcmf-4rfv
- 2026-10-16 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
More NodeJS Node.js vulnerabilities
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- TI-2022-03472 X.509 Email Address Variable Length Buffer Overflow CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2022-03315 X.509 Email Address 4-byte Buffer Overflow CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
Sources
- CVE-2026-21636 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-21636 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-7xhv-hcmf-4rfv · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-21636 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences