CVE-2023-46233 CRITICAL

CVE-2023-46233: crypto-js PBKDF2 1,000 times weaker than specified in 1993 and 1.3M times weaker than current standard

Vendor Brix
Product crypto-js
Weakness CWE-328 · Weak hash
Published October 25, 2023
Last update February 13, 2025

CVSS base score

9.1/10
Attack vector Network
Attack complexity Low
Privileges required None
User interaction None
Confidentiality High
Integrity High

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

What the vulnerability does

01Description

crypto-js is a JavaScript library of crypto standards. Prior to version 4.2.0, crypto-js PBKDF2 is 1,000 times weaker than originally specified in 1993, and at least 1,300,000 times weaker than current industry standard. This is because it both defaults to SHA1, a cryptographic hash algorithm considered insecure since at least 2005, and defaults to one single iteration, a 'strength' or 'difficulty' value specified at 1,000 when specified in 1993. PBKDF2 relies on iteration count as a countermeasure to preimage and collision attacks. If used to protect passwords, the impact is high. If used to generate signatures, the impact is high. Version 4.2.0 contains a patch for this issue. As a workaround, configure crypto-js to use SHA256 with at least 250,000 iterations.

Key dates

02Disclosure timeline

October 25, 2023 CVE published
February 13, 2025 Record updated