CVE-2018-7166
In all versions of Node.js 10 prior to 10.9.0, an argument processing flaw can cause `Buffer.alloc()` to return uninitialized memory.
Does this matter?
High impact if exploited, but EPSS currently rates exploitation as unlikely (3.29%). Schedule it in the normal patch cycle and watch for a rise in EPSS or a public exploit.
Description
In all versions of Node.js 10 prior to 10.9.0, an argument processing flaw can cause `Buffer.alloc()` to return uninitialized memory. This method is intended to be safe and only return initialized, or cleared, memory. The third argument specifying `encoding` can be passed as a number, this is misinterpreted by `Buffer's` internal "fill" method as the `start` to a fill operation. This flaw may be abused where `Buffer.alloc()` arguments are derived from user input to return uncleared memory blocks that may contain sensitive information.
- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
- EPSS
- 3.29% probability · 88th percentile
- Public exploits
- None in Exploit-DB
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-226, CWE-908
- Affected
- nodejs/node.js
- Source
- cve-request@iojs.org
EPSS 3.3% since 27 October 2026; no change recorded yet. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
References
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:2553Third Party Advisory
- https://nodejs.org/en/blog/vulnerability/august-2018-security-releases/Vendor Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:2553Third Party Advisory
- https://nodejs.org/en/blog/vulnerability/august-2018-security-releases/Vendor Advisory
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.