# CVE-2018-7160: Server-side request forgery in Node.js

> Attackers can exploit DNS rebinding to access the Node.js inspector and execute arbitrary code if the debug port is active.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 17 May 2018
- **Updated:** 8 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2018-7160, CLEANSTART-2026-EN95904, CLEANSTART-2026-YQ27190, DEBIAN-CVE-2018-7160, UBUNTU-CVE-2018-7160

## What is CVE-2018-7160?

CVE-2018-7160 is a high-severity server-side request forgery vulnerability in Nodejs Node.js, published on 17 May 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

The Node.js inspector, in 6.x and later is vulnerable to a DNS rebinding attack which could be exploited to perform remote code execution. An attack is possible from malicious websites open in a web browser on the same computer, or another computer with network access to the computer running the Node.js process. A malicious website could use a DNS rebinding attack to trick the web browser to bypass same-origin-policy checks and to allow HTTP connections to localhost or to hosts on the local network. If a Node.js process with the debug port active is running on localhost or on a host on the local network, the malicious website could connect to it as a debugger, and get full code execution access.

Weakness: CWE-290 (Authentication Bypass by Spoofing), CWE-350 (Reliance on Reverse DNS Resolution for a Security-Critical Action)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-7160?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Nodejs Node.js.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-7160?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2018-7160 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-7160 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Nodejs Node.js

- [CVE-2023-32002](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-32002/): Security feature bypass in Node (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2016-6303](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-6303/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-15896](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-15896/): Security feature bypass in Node.js (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2018-12120](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-12120/): Misconfiguration in Node.js (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2024-21891](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-21891/): Path traversal in Node (high 7.9)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-7160 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-7160 is a high-severity server-side request forgery vulnerability in Nodejs Node.js, published on 17 May 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-7160 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Nodejs Node.js. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

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-2018-7160/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-7160/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-7160
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-7160
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-7160

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-7160/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.