CVE-2026-21637
A flaw in Node.js TLS error handling allows remote attackers to crash or exhaust resources of a TLS server when `pskCallback` or…
- Published
- Updated
- Reserved
- Assigned by
- hackerone
Description
A flaw in Node.js TLS error handling allows remote attackers to crash or exhaust resources of a TLS server when `pskCallback` or `ALPNCallback` are in use. Synchronous exceptions thrown during these callbacks bypass standard TLS error handling paths (tlsClientError and error), causing either immediate process termination or silent file descriptor leaks that eventually lead to denial of service. Because these callbacks process attacker-controlled input during the TLS handshake, a remote client can repeatedly trigger the issue. This vulnerability affects TLS servers using PSK or ALPN callbacks across Node.js versions where these callbacks throw without being safely wrapped.
Scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| hackeroneCNA (assigner) | 3.0 | Medium5.9 | CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H |
| NVDNVD · Analyzed | 3.1 | High7.5 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H |
- EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)
- 1.1% · top 34% of all CVEs (6 Nov 2026)
- CISA SSVC
- Exploitation: none · Automatable: yes · Technical impact: partial
The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: Medium 5.9.
Weakness
Affected products
- affected 20.19.6 – ≤ 20.19.6
- affected 22.21.1 – ≤ 22.21.1
- affected 24.12.0 – ≤ 24.12.0
- affected 25.2.1 – ≤ 25.2.1
- affected 4.0 – < 4.*
- affected 5.0 – < 5.*
- affected 6.0 – < 6.*
- affected 7.0 – < 7.*
- affected 8.0 – < 8.*
- affected 9.0 – < 9.*
- affected 10.0 – < 10.*
- affected 11.0 – < 11.*
- affected 12.0 – < 12.*
- affected 13.0 – < 13.*
- affected 14.0 – < 14.*
- affected 15.0 – < 15.*
- affected 16.0 – < 16.*
- affected 17.0 – < 17.*
- affected 18.0 – < 18.*
References (1)
Sources
The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.
- CVE.org record (opens in a new tab)
- CVE List JSON (GitHub) (opens in a new tab)
- NVD (opens in a new tab)
- FIRST EPSS (opens in a new tab)
- OSV.dev (opens in a new tab)
- GitHub Advisories (opens in a new tab)
- CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup (opens in a new tab)
Badge for a README or a ticket
[](https://trackcve.app/cve/CVE-2026-21637)Record last updated .