Module policy bypass via inherited require
Published Nov 22, 2023 · Updated Nov 3, 2025
Policy bypass in Node.js 16.x, 18.x, and 20.x allows remote attackers to load modules excluded by an experimental policy manifest. process.mainModule.proto.require() follows the inherited require method without enforcing policy.json module constraints. Exposure requires the experimental policy mechanism, and successful exploitation defeats module-loading integrity rather than confidentiality or availability.
Summary
What happened
Policy bypass in Node.js 16.x, 18.x, and 20.x allows remote attackers to load modules excluded by an experimental policy manifest. process.mainModule.proto.require() follows the inherited require method without enforcing policy.json module constraints. Exposure requires the experimental policy mechanism, and successful exploitation defeats module-loading integrity rather than confidentiality or availability.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-30581
- Published
- Nov 22, 2023
- Updated
- Nov 3, 2025
- Vendor
- Node.js
- Product
- Node.js
- Classifications
- CWE-862, T1059.007
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Nov 22, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Nov 3, 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.*
- Affected versionversion=15.0 <15.*
- Affected versionversion=16.0 <16.20.1
- Affected versionversion=17.0 <17.*
- Affected versionversion=18.0 <18.16.1
- Affected versionversion=19.0 <19.*
- Affected versionversion=20.0 <20.3.1
- 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?
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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