Integrity compromise via ICU_DATA search path
Published Feb 23, 2023 · Updated Apr 30, 2025
Untrusted search path in Node.js before 14.21.3, 16.19.1, 18.14.1, or 19.6.1 allows local users to load attacker-controlled ICU data. ICU initialization honors the ICU_DATA environment variable for elevated processes, searches the supplied location, and accepts external ICU data instead of only built-in data. Exploitation requires control of the privileged process environment and its execution; loaded data can alter internationalization behavior with that process's authority.
Summary
What happened
Untrusted search path in Node.js before 14.21.3, 16.19.1, 18.14.1, or 19.6.1 allows local users to load attacker-controlled ICU data. ICU initialization honors the ICU_DATA environment variable for elevated processes, searches the supplied location, and accepts external ICU data instead of only built-in data. Exploitation requires control of the privileged process environment and its execution; loaded data can alter internationalization behavior with that process's authority.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-23920
- Published
- Feb 23, 2023
- Updated
- Apr 30, 2025
- Vendor
- Node.js
- Product
- Node.js
- Classifications
- CWE-426
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- admin
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Feb 23, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Apr 30, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=10.0 <10.*
- Affected versionversion=11.0 <11.*
- Affected versionversion=12.0 <12.*
- Affected versionversion=13.0 <13.*
- Affected versionversion=14.0 <14.21.3
- Affected versionversion=15.0 <15.*
- Affected versionversion=16.0 <16.19.1
- Affected versionversion=17.0 <17.*
- Affected versionversion=18.0 <18.14.1
- Affected versionversion=19.0 <19.6.1
- Affected versionversion=4.0 <4.*
- Affected versionversion=5.0 <5.*
- Affected versionversion=6.0 <6.*
- Affected versionversion=7.0 <7.*
- Affected versionversion=8.0 <8.*
- Affected versionversion=9.0 <9.*
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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