# CVE-2021-23567: Denial of Service (DoS)


- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 14 Jan 2022
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-gh88-3pxp-6fm8

## What is CVE-2021-23567?

CVE-2021-23567 is a high-severity vulnerability in colors, published on 14 Jan 2022. 

### Official description

The package colors after 1.4.0 are vulnerable to Denial of Service (DoS) that was introduced through an infinite loop in the americanFlag module. Unfortunately this appears to have been a purposeful attempt by a maintainer of colors to make the package unusable, other maintainers' controls over this package appear to have been revoked in an attempt to prevent them from fixing the issue. Vulnerable Code js for (let i = 666; i < Infinity; i++;) { Alternative Remediation Suggested * Pin dependancy to 1.4.0

Weakness: CWE-835 (Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-23567?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including colors. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `colors` | npm | From 1.4.1 | None |
| `colors` | npm | From 1.4.1 | None |

Products: Colors.js Project Colors.js.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-23567?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-23567 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-23567 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-23567 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-23567 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-23567 is a high-severity vulnerability in colors, published on 14 Jan 2022. 
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-23567 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- colors (npm): affected from 1.4.1; no fix listed
- colors (npm): affected from 1.4.1; no fix listed

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-2021-23567/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-23567/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-23567
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-23567
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-23567

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-23567/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.