# CVE-2023-0163: Prototype Pollution in convict

> Prototype pollution in Convict allows attackers to inject or override configuration attributes, potentially causing crashes or altering application behavior.

- **Severity:** High 8.4 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 26 Nov 2024
- **Updated:** 27 Nov 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-4jrm-c32x-w4jf

## What is CVE-2023-0163?

CVE-2023-0163 is a high-severity vulnerability in Mozilla Convict, published on 26 Nov 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Improperly Controlled Modification of Object Prototype Attributes ('Prototype Pollution') vulnerability in Mozilla Convict.

This allows an attacker to inject attributes that are used in other components, or to override existing attributes with ones that have incompatible type, which may lead to a crash.

The main use case of Convict is for handling server-side 
configurations written by the admins owning the servers, and not random 
users. So it's unlikely that an admin would deliberately sabotage their 
own server. Still, a situation can happen where an admin not 
knowledgeable about JavaScript could be tricked by an attacker into 
writing the malicious JavaScript code into some config files.

This issue affects Convict: before 6.2.4.

Weakness: CWE-1321 (Improperly Controlled Modification of Object Prototype Attributes)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-0163?

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


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `convict` | npm | All versions | 6.2.4 |
| `convict` | npm | All versions | 6.2.4 |

Products: Mozilla Convict.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-0163?

Upgrade convict to 6.2.4 or later.

## Is CVE-2023-0163 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-0163 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in Mozilla Convict

- [CVE-2022-21190](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-21190/): Prototype Pollution (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2022-22143](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-22143/): Prototype Pollution (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-0163 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-0163 is a high-severity vulnerability in Mozilla Convict, published on 26 Nov 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-0163 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- convict (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 6.2.4
- convict (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 6.2.4

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-2023-0163/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-0163/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-0163
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-0163
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-0163

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-0163/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.