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OpenAdvisories
Critical · 9.1 CVE-2023-46233 EUVD-2023-2840GHSA-xwcq-pm8m-c4vf

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

Published Oct 25, 2023 · Updated Jun 23, 2026 · Assigned by GitHub_M

Description

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.

Affected products

VendorProductAffectedFixed
brix crypto-js < 4.2.0 —

Fixed in Linux distributions

Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.

ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Debian 12 cryptojs No fix yet —
Debian 10 cryptojs 3.1.2+dfsg-2+deb10u1 DLA-3669-1
ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Ubuntu 20.04 LTS cryptojs 3.1.2+dfsg-2ubuntu0.20.04.1 USN-6753-1
Show 3 more (older releases, extended support, other products)
ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Ubuntu Pro 22.04 LTS cryptojs 3.1.2+dfsg-3ubuntu0.22.04.1~esm1 USN-6753-1
Ubuntu Pro 18.04 LTS cryptojs 3.1.2+dfsg-2ubuntu0.18.04.1~esm1 USN-6753-1
Ubuntu Pro 16.04 LTS cryptojs 3.1.2+dfsg-2ubuntu0.16.04.1~esm1 USN-6753-1
ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
RHEL 9 dotnet-hostfxr-6.0 +5 6.0.26-1.el9_3 RHSA-2024:0156
RHEL 9 dotnet-hostfxr-7.0 +5 7.0.15-1.el9_3 RHSA-2024:0805, RHSA-2024:0151
RHEL 9 dotnet6.0 +3 6.0.126-1.el9_3 RHSA-2024:0156
RHEL 9 dotnet7.0 +3 7.0.115-1.el9_3 RHSA-2024:0805, RHSA-2024:0151
RHEL 8 dotnet-hostfxr-6.0 +5 6.0.26-1.el8_9 RHSA-2024:0158
RHEL 8 dotnet-hostfxr-7.0 +5 7.0.15-1.el8_9 RHSA-2024:0806, RHSA-2024:0157
RHEL 8 dotnet6.0 +3 6.0.126-1.el8_9 RHSA-2024:0158
RHEL 8 dotnet7.0 +3 7.0.115-1.el8_9 RHSA-2024:0806, RHSA-2024:0157

Affected packages

EcosystemPackageAffectedFixedRecord
npm crypto-js < 4.2.0 4.2.0 GHSA-xwcq-pm8m-c4vf

Advisories 9

References