CVE-2023-34109 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

A medium severity CVE-2023-34109 has been published regarding unbounded resource consumption in @zxcvbn-ts/core with a CVSS base score of 6.5.

Understanding CVE-2023-34109

This vulnerability affects users utilizing the zxcvbn password strength estimator on the nodeJS platform, potentially leading to unbounded resource consumption.

What is CVE-2023-34109?

zxcvbn-ts is an open-source password strength estimator written in TypeScript. The issue arises when users enable the second argument of the zxcvbn function, causing unbounded resource consumption due to the extension of the user inputs array with each function call.

The Impact of CVE-2023-34109

The vulnerability impacts both browser and NodeJS platform users, with the potential to exhaust resources. While browsers require extensive user input changes for exploitation, node processes can be affected by inputs from multiple platform users, leading to resource exhaustion.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-34109

CVE-2023-34109 details include:

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in @zxcvbn-ts/core allows unbounded resource consumption when utilizing the second argument of the zxcvbn function.

Affected Systems and Versions

Vendor: zxcvbn-ts
Product: zxcvbn
Affected Versions: < 3.0.2

Exploitation Mechanism

Users triggering the second argument in the zxcvbn function on the nodeJS platform can exploit this vulnerability, leading to unbounded resource consumption.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2023-34109, consider the following steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade to zxcvbn version 3.0.2 to mitigate the vulnerability.

Long-Term Security Practices

Avoid using the second argument of the zxcvbn function if unable to upgrade.

Patching and Updates

Refer to the provided GitHub links for patches and updates.