Ethical Hacking News
A critical Node.js vulnerability has been discovered that could cause server crashes and execute arbitrary JavaScript code. Developers must take immediate action to patch their applications and prevent potential exploitation.
Cybersecurity experts have identified a critical vulnerability in the Node.js library binary-parser (CVE-2026-1245), which can cause server crashes and execute arbitrary JavaScript code. The vulnerability is due to a lack of sanitization of user-supplied values, allowing an attacker-controlled input to be executed without adequate validation. The affected library attracts approximately 13,000 weekly downloads, making it a significant target for attackers. Users are advised to upgrade to version 2.3.0 to address the issue, and developers should avoid passing user-controlled values into parser field names or encoding parameters. The discovery highlights the importance of ongoing security testing and monitoring for open-source libraries and encourages developers to remain vigilant when using third-party libraries.
Cybersecurity experts have been sounding the alarm bells over a critical vulnerability in the widely used Node.js library, binary-parser. This vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2026-1245, has the potential to cause server crashes and execute arbitrary JavaScript code, posing significant security risks to applications that rely on this library.
According to an advisory released by the CERT Coordination Center (CERT/CC), the vulnerability is due to a lack of sanitization of user-supplied values, such as parser field names and encoding parameters, when the JavaScript parser code is dynamically generated at runtime using the "Function" constructor. This allows an attacker-controlled input to make its way to the generated code without adequate validation, resulting in the execution of arbitrary code.
The binary-parser library is a popular parser builder for JavaScript that allows developers to parse binary data. It supports a wide range of common data types, including integers, floating-point values, strings, and arrays. The package attracts approximately 13,000 downloads on a weekly basis, making it a significant target for attackers.
The vulnerability has been reported by security researcher Maor Caplan, who discovered the issue through an exhaustive analysis of the library's source code. CERT/CC has warned that affected applications that construct parser definitions using untrusted input may be vulnerable to this flaw, allowing an attacker to execute arbitrary JavaScript code with the privileges of the Node.js process.
This could result in access to local data, manipulation of application logic, or execution of system commands depending on the deployment environment. The severity of the vulnerability has been rated as high by CERT/CC, emphasizing the need for prompt action to patch affected applications and prevent potential exploitation.
To mitigate this risk, users of binary-parser are advised to upgrade to version 2.3.0, which addresses the issue. Additionally, developers should avoid passing user-controlled values into parser field names or encoding parameters, as these can potentially be exploited by attackers.
The discovery of this vulnerability highlights the importance of ongoing security testing and monitoring for open-source libraries. It also serves as a reminder to developers to remain vigilant in their use of third-party libraries, ensuring that they are properly patched and validated before incorporating them into their applications.
In light of this critical Node.js vulnerability, it is essential for developers to take immediate action to patch their applications and prevent potential exploitation. By staying informed about the latest security threats and taking proactive steps to protect their systems, organizations can minimize the risk of server crashes and remote code execution caused by vulnerabilities like CVE-2026-1245.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/A-Critical-Nodejs-Vulnerability-Exposes-Server-Crashes-and-Remote-Code-Execution-ehn.shtml
https://thehackernews.com/2026/01/certcc-warns-binary-parser-bug-allows.html
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/72866798/error-message-node-openssl-legacy-provider-is-not-allowed-in-node-options
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-1245
https://www.cvedetails.com/cve/CVE-2026-1245/
Published: Wed Jan 21 03:44:31 2026 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
