GHSA-h5vj-f7r9-w564 Entropy Backdoor in text-qrcode
A backdoor in the text-qrcode npm package weakens cryptographic entropy, allowing attackers to guess generated keys and compromise sensitive data.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- None listed
What is GHSA-h5vj-f7r9-w564?
GHSA-h5vj-f7r9-w564 is a vulnerability in text-qrcode, published on 1 Sep 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Official description
All versions of text-qrcode contain malicious code that overwrites the randomBytes method for the crypto module with a function that generates weak entropy. Instead of generating 32 bytes, the infected randomBytes will generate 3 bytes of entropy and hash them, resulting in a 32 byte value being returned, but one that is easily guessable.
Recommendation
Uninstall text-qrcode immediately. If the module was used to generate entropy that is load bearing, all such instances of generated entropy must be replaced. This includes things like bitcoin wallets, private keys, encrypted messages, etc.
Which versions are affected by GHSA-h5vj-f7r9-w564?
2 open source packages ship an affected version, including text-qrcode.
| Package | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
text-qrcode npm | From 0.0.0 | None |
text-qrcode npm | From 0.0.0 | None |
How do I fix GHSA-h5vj-f7r9-w564?
No fix has been published for GHSA-h5vj-f7r9-w564 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.
Is GHSA-h5vj-f7r9-w564 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of GHSA-h5vj-f7r9-w564 in the wild and no public exploit code.