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CVE Record

CVE-2025-55130: A flaw in Node.js’s Permissions model allows attackers to bypass `--allow-fs-read` and `--allow-fs-write` r...

A flaw in Node.js’s Permissions model allows attackers to bypass `--allow-fs-read` and `--allow-fs-write` restrictions using crafted relative symlink paths. By chaining directories and symlinks, a script granted access only to the current directory can escape the allowed path and read sensitive files. This breaks the expected isolation guarantees and enables arbitrary file read/write, leading to potential system compromise. This vulnerability affects users of the permission model on Node.js v20, v22, v24, and v25.

HighCVSS 7.1Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This flaw weakens Node.js permission controls intended to confine file access. Code allowed to read or write only the current directory may escape that boundary through crafted relative symlink paths, potentially exposing secrets or modifying files outside the approved area.

Executive priority

Treat as a high-priority platform hardening issue where Node.js permissions protect secrets, tenant data, or build infrastructure. Lower priority if the permission model is not used.

Technical view

CVE-2025-55130 affects Node.js users relying on the permission model with --allow-fs-read or --allow-fs-write on v20, v22, v24, and v25. The issue is a relative symlink path bypass, mapped to CWE-281 and CWE-289, with CVSS 7.1 high severity.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most likely in services, CI jobs, plugins, sandboxes, or automation that execute Node.js code while depending on permission flags for filesystem isolation.

Exploitation context

The CVSS vector indicates local access with low complexity and low privileges, no user interaction. The bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or confirmed active exploitation.

Researcher notes

Evidence supports a permissions bypass through chained directories and relative symlinks. Public sources in the bundle do not provide exploit details, exploit-in-the-wild evidence, or complete fixed-version semantics.

Mitigation direction

  • Review Node.js December 2025 security release guidance.
  • Upgrade Node.js using vendor-supported fixed packages where available.
  • Apply relevant Red Hat security errata for managed platforms.
  • Avoid relying solely on Node permission flags for hostile code isolation.
  • Use OS or container filesystem boundaries for stronger containment.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Node.js v20, v22, v24, and v25 deployments.
  • Identify processes launched with --allow-fs-read or --allow-fs-write.
  • Check whether untrusted or semi-trusted scripts run in those processes.
  • Confirm installed Node.js package status against vendor advisories.
  • Review CI and plugin execution paths for filesystem isolation assumptions.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
10

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.

ATT&CK lookup starting points

Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.

cwe · low confidence lookup

CWE-281: Exact CWE lookup

Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.

Open ATT&CK lookup
cwe · low confidence lookup

CWE-289: Exact CWE lookup

Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.

Open ATT&CK lookup
description · low confidence lookup

File access behavior lookup

The CVE wording references file access or upload behavior, so file telemetry and web shell review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.

Open ATT&CK lookup
cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2025-55130 mapping review

Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.

Open ATT&CK lookup
Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
High
CVSS
7.1 (3.0)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

Official CVE source material

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.

2CVSS vectors
5Timeline events
2ADP providers
21Source links

SSVC decision data

CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: noneAutomatable: noTechnical Impact: total

CVSS vector scores

2 official scores

We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
7.1CVSS 3.0HighCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N1.85.2hackerone
7.1CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N1.85.2redhat-SADP

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

7.1High
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2025-55130Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

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

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. ADP timelineredhat-SADP

    Made public.

  3. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  4. ADP timelineredhat-SADP

    Reported to Red Hat.

  5. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
other:ssvc
redhat-SADPnodejs: Nodejs file permissions bypass
other:Red Hat severity ratingcvssV3_1
  • 2026-01-20T21:03:01.083Z: Reported to Red Hat.
  • 2026-01-20T20:41:55.393Z: Made public.

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
nodejsnode20.19.6, 22.21.1, 24.12.0, 25.2.1unaffected
Weakness

CWE details

CWE-281CWE-289

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.

CWE-281 · source CWE mapping

Improper Preservation of Permissions

Improper Preservation of Permissions represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.

Open CWE intelligenceSame-CWE CVEs
CWE-289 · source CWE mapping

Authentication Bypass by Alternate Name

Authentication Bypass by Alternate Name represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.

Open CWE intelligenceSame-CWE CVEs