Rafael Gonzaga
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 The Node.js Technical Steering Committee (TSC) noted that outdated versions, such as Node.js v16 (which, despite being EOL for over a year, still sees 11 million downloads per month), continue to be widely used.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:
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.