Live › vulnerability › VND-nodejs-updates-cve-for-end-of-life
Go to dashboardNode.js is re-issuing previously assigned CVEs so they also apply to end-of-life release lines such as v17 and earlier, v19 and v21, which no longer receive security patches. The advisory does not describe a new code flaw; it states that all past EOL releases should be treated as vulnerable or soon to be.
Summary written from the sources below. Check the originals before acting.
First seen by InfraStack 2026-10-23 19:13 UTC. All times on this page are UTC.
Any team running an end-of-life Node.js release in production, staging or build pipelines is affected by the flagged CVE records, and security scanners will report them. Teams already on active or Maintenance LTS lines are not affected by these EOL-applicability CVEs; the advisory says the project does not evaluate EOL lines, so the exact fixed-version boundary for each CVE on EOL lines is unknown.
| Product | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| node | node | – | – |
node --version on every host and container to find any EOL release line (anything past Maintenance LTS, e.g. v16, v17, v19, v21).Each row is the first time that source carried this signal. The analyst’s rows are its own findings.
Commercial support for versions past the Maintenance LTS phase is available through our OpenJS Ecosystem Sustainability Program partners Updates on CVE for End-of-Life Versions RG Rafael Gonzaga Updates on CVE for End-of-Life Versions Update on the issuance of CVEs to mark End-of-Life Node.js Versions TL;DR: CVE-2025-23087, CVE-2025-23088, and CVE-2025-23089 issued to tag EOL versions have been rejected by the CVE Program. The Node.js team has, therefore, decided to update previous vulnerability specific CVEs to cover EOL releases, reflecting their ongoing security risks. This means that all new CVEs issued will include EOL releases in the applicability until we have specific information that indicates a CVE does not apply to an EOL release line. The project does not plan to evaluate CVEs against EOL lines but information provided to the project may be used to update the applicability if/when it is available. On January 21, 2025, Node.js released security patches for four active release lines. At the same time, CVEs were assigned to cover EOL (end-of-life) versions: CVE-2025-23087: Applies to Node.js v17 and all earlier versions (including v0.x). CVE-2025-23088: Applies to Node.js v19. CVE-2025-23089: Applies to Node.js v21. For more details, refer to the original announcement: Node.js Vulnerability Announcement . Why Node.js Does Not Evaluate EOL Versions Due to resource constraints, Node.js does not assess security reports for EOL releases or include them in regular CVE version ranges. With over 20 EOL versions—each with different dependencies, build processes, and platform support—comprehensive vulnerability assessments are not feasible. Limiting reviews to a subset of EOL versions could lead to inaccuracies, as vulnerabilities may appear differently based on underlying components like OpenSSL. Thus, the focus remains on actively supported releases. "Why did the Node.js project issue a CVE for all EOL releases? Because we don’t have the resources to evaluate every single past release to know which are vulnerable. Node.js is run by volunteers. We have sufficient funding to maintain current releases, but not beyond that. In other words, all past Node.js releases are vulnerable or will soon be. This CVE highlights that risk for your organization." — Matteo Collina ( Source ) Purpose of Issuing These CVEs Security scanners in production environments trigger alerts when an active Node.js version is flagged as vulnerable, prompting an upgrade. If an EOL version is not listed as affected, users might mistakenly consider their setup secure. The Node.js Technical Steering Committee (TSC) noted that outdated versions, such as Node.js v16 (which, despite being EOL for over a year, still sees 11 million downloads per month), continue to be widely used. Assigning CVEs to EOL versions directly communicates the associated security risks to organizations. Recent CVE Updates Following consultations with the CVE Program, HackerOne, and Node.js, further updates were made to these CVEs: The MITRE Top-Level Root tagged the CVEs with "unsupported when assigned" and marked them as "disputed" since they do not pinpoint a specific vulnerability. A note has been added indicating that using the CVE List to report an unsupported product is a new approach under review. Ultimately, the CVE Board decided that these CVE Records should be rejected given the current CNA Operational Rules. However, this decision does not determine the long-term stance of the CVE Program on EOL support. The Board will continue discussing potential solutions for managing EOL versions, and is collecting feedback from the community. Therefore, the only viable solution to reflect the risk of running and EOL line is to update previous CVEs to cover EOL releases, reflecting their ongoing security risks. The process is being tracked in nodejs/security-wg#1443 . Questions and Feedback We understand that upgrading may require effort, and we’re here to help. If you have any questions or need assistance, please reach out to us via: Node.js Help Repository For organizations or developers who require continued use of EOL Node.js versions, the OpenJS Ecosystem Sustainability Program provides commercial support options. Thank you for your attention to this important matter. Previous Node.js Test CI Security Incident Next Tuesday, January 21, 2025 Security Releases
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