CVE-2021-39131
Improper Handling of Unexpected Data Type in ced
ced detects character encoding using Google’s compact_enc_det library. In ced v0.1.0, passing data types other than Buffer causes the Node.js process to crash. The problem has been patched in ced v1.0.0. As a workaround, before passing an argument to ced, verify it’s a Buffer using Buffer.isBuffer(obj).
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
7.5
Improper Handling of Unexpected Data Type in ced
ced detects character encoding using Google’s compact_enc_det library. In ced v0.1.0, passing data types other than Buffer causes the Node.js process to crash. The problem has been patched in ced v1.0.0. As a workaround, before passing an argument to ced, verify it’s a Buffer using Buffer.isBuffer(obj).
- Record
CVE-2021-39131- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-241
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2021-1506
7.5
ced detects character encoding using Google’s compact_enc_det library. In ced v0.1.0, passing data types other than Buffer causes the Node.js process to crash. The problem has been patched in ced v1.0.0. As a workaround, before passing an argument to ced, verify it’s a Buffer using Buffer.isBuffer(obj).
- Record
EUVD-2021-1506- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-27wq-qx3q-fxm9
7.5
Improper Handling of Unexpected Data Type in ced
Impact
In ced v0.1.0, passing data types other than Buffer causes the Node.js process to crash.
Patches
The problem has been patched in ced v1.0.0. You can upgrade from v0.1.0 without any breaking changes.
Workarounds
Before passing an argument to ced, verify it’s a Buffer using Buffer.isBuffer(obj).
CVSS score
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H/RL:O/RC:C
Base Score: 7.5 (High) Temporal Score: 7.2 (High)
Since ced is a library, the scoring is based on the “reasonable worst-case implementation scenario”, namely, accepting data from untrusted sources over a network and passing it directly to ced. Depending on your specific implementation, the vulnerability’s severity in your program may be different.
Proof of concept
const express = require("express");
const bodyParser = require("body-parser");
const ced = require("ced");
const app = express();
app.use(bodyParser.raw());
app.post("/", (req, res) => {
const encoding = ced(req.body);
res.end(encoding);
});
app.listen(3000);
curl --request POST --header "Content-Type: text/plain" --data foo http://localhost:3000 crashes the server.
References
- Record
GHSA-27wq-qx3q-fxm9- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-241
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
7.5
ced detects character encoding using Google’s compact_enc_det library. In ced v0.1.0, passing data types other than Buffer causes the Node.js process to crash. The problem has been patched in ced v1.0.0. As a workaround, before passing an argument to ced, verify it’s a Buffer using Buffer.isBuffer(obj).
- Record
CVE-2021-39131- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 5.0 Medium
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P - Weakness
- CWE-241, CWE-755
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
7.5
ced detects character encoding using Google’s compact_enc_det library. In ced v0.1.0, passing data types other than Buffer causes the Node.js process to crash. The problem has been patched in ced v1.0.0. As a workaround, before passing an argument to ced, verify it’s a Buffer using Buffer.isBuffer(obj).
- Record
CVE-2021-39131- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-27wq-qx3q-fxm9
7.5
Improper Handling of Unexpected Data Type in ced
Impact
In ced v0.1.0, passing data types other than Buffer causes the Node.js process to crash.
Patches
The problem has been patched in ced v1.0.0. You can upgrade from v0.1.0 without any breaking changes.
Workarounds
Before passing an argument to ced, verify it’s a Buffer using Buffer.isBuffer(obj).
CVSS score
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H/RL:O/RC:C
Base Score: 7.5 (High) Temporal Score: 7.2 (High)
Since ced is a library, the scoring is based on the “reasonable worst-case implementation scenario”, namely, accepting data from untrusted sources over a network and passing it directly to ced. Depending on your specific implementation, the vulnerability’s severity in your program may be different.
Proof of concept
const express = require("express");
const bodyParser = require("body-parser");
const ced = require("ced");
const app = express();
app.use(bodyParser.raw());
app.post("/", (req, res) => {
const encoding = ced(req.body);
res.end(encoding);
});
app.listen(3000);
curl --request POST --header "Content-Type: text/plain" --data foo http://localhost:3000 crashes the server.
References
- Record
GHSA-27wq-qx3q-fxm9- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-241
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
cednpm |
before 1.0.0 | 1.0.0 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2021-39131 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.5) in Ced Project Ced, published August 17, 2021. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.89%, the 79th percentile. Fixed in ced 1.0.0.