A flaw in Node.js HMAC verification uses a non-constant-time comparison when validating user-provided signatures, potentially leaking timing information proportional to the number of matching bytes. Under certain threat models where high-resolution timing measurements are possible, this behavior could be exploited as a timing oracle to infer HMAC values.

Node.js already provides timing-safe comparison primitives used elsewhere in the codebase, indicating this is an oversight rather than an intentional design decision.

This vulnerability affects **20.x, 22.x, 24.x, and 25.x**.
Advisories
Source ID Title
Debian DSA Debian DSA DSA-6183-1 nodejs security update
Fixes

Solution

No solution given by the vendor.


Workaround

No workaround given by the vendor.

History

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 19:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description A flaw in Node.js HMAC verification uses a non-constant-time comparison when validating user-provided signatures, potentially leaking timing information proportional to the number of matching bytes. Under certain threat models where high-resolution timing measurements are possible, this behavior could be exploited as a timing oracle to infer HMAC values. Node.js already provides timing-safe comparison primitives used elsewhere in the codebase, indicating this is an oversight rather than an intentional design decision. This vulnerability affects **20.x, 22.x, 24.x, and 25.x**.
References
Metrics cvssV3_0

{'score': 5.9, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N'}


Projects

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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: hackerone

Published:

Updated: 2026-03-30T19:45:22.905Z

Reserved: 2026-01-04T15:00:06.574Z

Link: CVE-2026-21713

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

No data.

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

No data.

Weaknesses

No weakness.