# CVE-2016-1000232: ReDoS via long string of semicolons in tough-cookie

> A regular expression parsing flaw in the tough-cookie library allows attackers to cause a denial of service via crafted HTTP cookie headers.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.3 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 5 Sep 2018
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** CLSA-2026-1784596295, GHSA-qhv9-728r-6jqg

## What is CVE-2016-1000232?

CVE-2016-1000232 is a medium-severity denial of service vulnerability in Ibm Api Connect, published on 5 Sep 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

NodeJS Tough-Cookie version 2.2.2 contains a Regular Expression Parsing vulnerability in HTTP request Cookie Header parsing that can result in Denial of Service. This attack appear to be exploitable via Custom HTTP header passed by client. This vulnerability appears to have been fixed in 2.3.0.

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-1000232?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including tough-cookie. It affects 3 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `tough-cookie` | npm | All versions | 2.3.0 |
| `tough-cookie` | npm | All versions | 2.3.0 |

Products: Ibm Api Connect, Redhat Openshift Container Platform, Salesforce Tough-Cookie.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-1000232?

Upgrade tough-cookie to 2.3.0 or later.

## Is CVE-2016-1000232 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-1000232 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Ibm Api Connect

- [CVE-2019-4202](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-4202/): Command injection in API Connect (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2025-13915](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-13915/): Authentication bypass in IBM API Connect (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-1469](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-1469/): Command injection in API Connect (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-9074](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-9074/): IBM API Connect SQL Injection (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2019-4008](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-4008/): Information disclosure in API Connect (critical 9.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-1000232 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-1000232 is a medium-severity denial of service vulnerability in Ibm Api Connect, published on 5 Sep 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-1000232 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- tough-cookie (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 2.3.0
- tough-cookie (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 2.3.0

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-1000232/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-1000232/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-1000232
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-1000232
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-1000232

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-1000232/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.