Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2018-3739 affects the Node.js https-proxy-agent module before version 2.1.1. If an application lets an attacker influence the proxy auth value as typed input, the module could leak uninitialized memory or be forced into denial of service. Exposure depends on how the application supplies proxy authentication.
Executive priority
Prioritize remediation where Node.js services process untrusted configuration or request data that can influence proxy authentication. For ordinary internal-only dependency use without attacker-controlled auth input, handle through normal dependency hygiene.
Technical view
The issue is improper sanitization of the auth option before passing it to the Buffer constructor in https-proxy-agent. The described impact is denial of service and uninitialized memory disclosure when attacker-controlled typed input, such as JSON, reaches auth. The CVE lists versions before 2.1.1 as affected.
Likely exposure
Most exposure is indirect through Node.js applications or services that depend on https-proxy-agent before 2.1.1 and accept untrusted input that can influence proxy auth configuration.
Exploitation context
The provided sources do not show active exploitation, and the CVE is not marked KEV. Practical exploitation appears conditional: an attacker must be able to submit typed input to the auth parameter or an equivalent application path.
Researcher notes
Evidence is limited to the CVE description and HackerOne reference. No CVSS vector, public exploit status, or operational workaround is provided in the bundle. The key validation question is whether attacker-controlled typed input can reach the auth option.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade https-proxy-agent to version 2.1.1 or later.
- Review dependency trees for transitive use of affected https-proxy-agent versions.
- Prevent untrusted users from controlling proxy authentication options.
- Check vendor or package guidance if upgrade constraints exist.
Validation and detection
- Inspect application dependency manifests and lockfiles for https-proxy-agent versions before 2.1.1.
- Identify code paths that map external JSON or request data into proxy auth settings.
- Confirm deployed artifacts use the remediated dependency version, not only source manifests.
- Review logs for unexplained crashes around proxy setup, without treating them as proof of exploitation.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
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Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Unknown
- CVSS
- Not scored
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS and timeline data
No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://hackerone.com/reports/319532CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Uncontrolled Resource Consumption
Uncontrolled Resource Consumption represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.