HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2023-36665
CRITICAL

CVE-2023-36665

CWE-1321Published: July 5, 2023· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

9.8
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

"protobuf.js (aka protobufjs) 6.10.0 through 7.x before 7.2.5 allows Prototype Pollution, a different vulnerability than CVE-2022-25878. A user-controlled protobuf message can be used by an attacker to pollute the prototype of Object.prototype by adding and overwriting its data and functions. Exploitation can involve: (1) using the function parse to parse protobuf messages on the fly, (2) loading .proto files by using load/loadSync functions, or (3) providing untrusted input to the functions ReflectionObject.setParsedOption and util.setProperty.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2023-36665 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and worm-like propagation.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 9.8.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.None
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected Vendors & Products

protobufjs_project1 product(s)
protobufjs
Source: NVD CPE · 1 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
Exploit-DB
Offensive Security exploit database
GitHub PoC Search
Community PoC repositories
Rapid7 / Metasploit
Metasploit module search
PacketStorm
Security advisories & exploits
NVD Detail
Official NIST entry
MITRE CVE
CVE Program entry
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.

Official Patches & Advisories

PATCHhttps://github.com/protobufjs/protobuf.js/commit/e66379f451b0393c27d87b37fa7d271619e16b0d
PATCHhttps://github.com/protobufjs/protobuf.js/compare/protobufjs-v7.2.3...protobufjs-v7.2.4
PATCHhttps://github.com/protobufjs/protobuf.js/pull/1899
PATCHhttps://www.code-intelligence.com/blog/cve-protobufjs-prototype-pollution-cve-2023-36665
PATCHhttps://github.com/protobufjs/protobuf.js/commit/e66379f451b0393c27d87b37fa7d271619e16b0d
PATCHhttps://github.com/protobufjs/protobuf.js/compare/protobufjs-v7.2.3...protobufjs-v7.2.4
PATCHhttps://github.com/protobufjs/protobuf.js/pull/1899
PATCHhttps://www.code-intelligence.com/blog/cve-protobufjs-prototype-pollution-cve-2023-36665

All References (12)

→
https://github.com/protobufjs/protobuf.js/commit/e66379f451b0393c27d87b37fa7d271619e16b0dPatch
→
https://github.com/protobufjs/protobuf.js/compare/protobufjs-v7.2.3...protobufjs-v7.2.4Patch
→
https://github.com/protobufjs/protobuf.js/pull/1899Patch · Vendor Advisory
→
https://github.com/protobufjs/protobuf.js/releases/tag/protobufjs-v7.2.4Release Notes
→
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240628-0006/
→
https://www.code-intelligence.com/blog/cve-protobufjs-prototype-pollution-cve-2023-36665Exploit · Patch · Third Party Advisory
→
https://github.com/protobufjs/protobuf.js/commit/e66379f451b0393c27d87b37fa7d271619e16b0dPatch
→
https://github.com/protobufjs/protobuf.js/compare/protobufjs-v7.2.3...protobufjs-v7.2.4Patch
→
https://github.com/protobufjs/protobuf.js/pull/1899Patch · Vendor Advisory
→
https://github.com/protobufjs/protobuf.js/releases/tag/protobufjs-v7.2.4Release Notes
→
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240628-0006/
→
https://www.code-intelligence.com/blog/cve-protobufjs-prototype-pollution-cve-2023-36665Exploit · Patch · Third Party Advisory

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2023-36665
CVSS Score9.8 / 10
SeverityCRITICAL
WeaknessCWE-1321
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedJul 5, 2023

Related CVEs (CWE-1321)

CVE-2024-38999
10.0
CVE-2024-39008
10.0
CVE-2021-23449
10.0
CVE-2021-23594
10.0
CVE-2020-12079
10.0
CVE-2026-25881
10.0

Recommended Actions

  • →Apply vendor patches immediately
  • →Monitor CVE-2023-36665 in threat intel feeds
  • →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWatch. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.
← All Vulnerabilities·Search for CVE-2023-36665·NVD