Browserify pbkdf2 up to 3.1.6 JavaScript Fallback lib/sync.js pbkdf2Sync/pbkdf2 Password resource consumption

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability classified as problematic has been found in Browserify pbkdf2 up to 3.1.6. Affected by this vulnerability is the function pbkdf2Sync/pbkdf2 of the file lib/sync.js of the component JavaScript Fallback. This manipulation of the argument Password causes resource consumption. This vulnerability is registered as CVE-2026-102414. Remote exploitation of the attack is possible. No exploit is available.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Browserify pbkdf2 up to 3.1.6. It has been declared as problematic. Affected by this vulnerability is the function pbkdf2Sync/pbkdf2 of the file lib/sync.js of the component JavaScript Fallback. The manipulation of the argument password with an unknown input leads to a resource consumption vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-400. The product does not properly control the allocation and maintenance of a limited resource, thereby enabling an actor to influence the amount of resources consumed, eventually leading to the exhaustion of available resources. As an impact it is known to affect availability. The summary by CVE is:

pbkdf2 through 3.1.6 re-hashes passwords longer than the digest's block size on every iteration in its JavaScript fallback (lib/sync.js). A password longer than the block size (64 bytes, or 128 bytes for sha384 and sha512) is passed to HMAC as the key on every iteration, and HMAC hashes such keys in full each time. Cost is therefore O(iterations × password length), and a long password can block the event loop. The fallback is used by pbkdf2Sync and pbkdf2 on Node.js before 0.12, on Bun (1.0.0 through 1.1.34, and 1.2.6 and later), and on Deno 2.9.0 and later, because their native pbkdf2Sync fails the library's feature check. It is also used when lib/sync.js is imported directly. Node.js 0.12 and later, and browser builds (which use lib/sync-browser.js), are not affected. Applications that enforce a reasonable maximum password length are not meaningfully affected.

It is possible to read the advisory at github.com. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2026-102414 since 09/29/2026. The exploitation appears to be easy. The attack can be launched remotely. The exploitation doesn't need any form of authentication. Technical details of the vulnerability are known, but there is no available exploit. The attack technique deployed by this issue is T1499 according to MITRE ATT&CK.

There is no information about possible countermeasures known. It may be suggested to replace the affected object with an alternative product.

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Productinfo

Vendor

• Browserify

Name

• pbkdf2

Version

• 3.1.0
• 3.1.1
• 3.1.2
• 3.1.3
• 3.1.4
• 3.1.5
• 3.1.6

Website

• Product: https://github.com/browserify/pbkdf2/

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