CVE-2015-8855

Regular Expression Denial of Service in semver

7.5 HighFix available

The semver package before 4.3.2 for Node.js allows attackers to cause a denial of service (CPU consumption) via a long version string, aka a "regular expression denial of service (ReDoS)."

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

6.89%Up 5.9 points since Feb 4, 2022

What each source reports

NVD Score used 7.5

The semver package before 4.3.2 for Node.js allows attackers to cause a denial of service (CPU consumption) via a long version string, aka a "regular expression denial of service (ReDoS)."

Record: CVE-2015-8855
CVSS 3.0: 7.5 HighCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
CVSS 2.0: 7.8 HighAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:C
Weakness: CWE-399
Updated: 2026-11-02

CVE List No score

The semver package before 4.3.2 for Node.js allows attackers to cause a denial of service (CPU consumption) via a long version string, aka a "regular expression denial of service (ReDoS)."

Record: CVE-2015-8855
Updated: 2026-11-02

EUVDEUVD-2017-0328 No score

The semver package before 4.3.2 for Node.js allows attackers to cause a denial of service (CPU consumption) via a long version string, aka a "regular expression denial of service (ReDoS)."

Record: EUVD-2017-0328
Updated: 2026-11-03

GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-x6fg-f45m-jf5q 7.5

Regular Expression Denial of Service in semver

Versions 4.3.1 and earlier of semver are affected by a regular expression denial of service vulnerability when extremely long version strings are parsed.

Recommendation

Update to version 4.3.2 or later

Record: GHSA-x6fg-f45m-jf5q
CVSS 3.0: 7.5 HighCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Weakness: CWE-1333
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSV 7.5

The semver package before 4.3.2 for Node.js allows attackers to cause a denial of service (CPU consumption) via a long version string, aka a "regular expression denial of service (ReDoS)."

Record: CVE-2015-8855
CVSS 3.0: 7.5 HighCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2015-8855 7.5

The semver package before 4.3.2 for Node.js allows attackers to cause a denial of service (CPU consumption) via a long version string, aka a "regular expression denial of service (ReDoS)."

Record: DEBIAN-CVE-2015-8855
CVSS 3.0: 7.5 HighCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Updated: 2026-11-02

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OSVGHSA-x6fg-f45m-jf5q 7.5

Regular Expression Denial of Service in semver

Versions 4.3.1 and earlier of semver are affected by a regular expression denial of service vulnerability when extremely long version strings are parsed.

Recommendation

Update to version 4.3.2 or later

Record: GHSA-x6fg-f45m-jf5q
CVSS 3.0: 7.5 HighCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Weakness: CWE-1333
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2015-8855 7.5

The semver package before 4.3.2 for Node.js allows attackers to cause a denial of service (CPU consumption) via a long version string, aka a "regular expression denial of service (ReDoS)."

Record: UBUNTU-CVE-2015-8855
CVSS 3.0: 7.5 HighCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSVCLSA-2026-1773793043 No score

TuxCare security update for semver (2 CVEs)

TuxCare rebuilt semver to address 2 CVEs. Fixed in 2.3.2-tuxcare.1.

Record: CLSA-2026-1773793043
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSVUSN-4776-1 No score

node-semver vulnerability

It was discovered that semver incorrectly handled certain inputs. A remote attacker could possibly use this issue to cause a denial of service.

Record: USN-4776-1
Updated: 2026-11-02

Affected products

nodejs node.js

Affected packages

Affected packages
Package	Affected	Fixed
`semver` npm	1.0.4 up to 4.3.2	4.3.2
`semver` TuxCare:npm From an advisory covering 2 CVEs	2.3.2-tuxcare.0 up to 2.3.2-tuxcare.1, plus listed versions 2.3.2	2.3.2-tuxcare.1
`node-semver` Debian:12	before 5.3.0-1	5.3.0-1
`node-semver` Debian:13	before 5.3.0-1	5.3.0-1
`node-semver` Debian:14	before 5.3.0-1	5.3.0-1
`node-semver` Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS	before 2.1.0-2ubuntu0.0.1~esm1, plus listed versions 2.1.0-2	2.1.0-2ubuntu0.0.1~esm1
`node-semver` Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS	before 2.1.0-2ubuntu0.1~esm1, plus listed versions 2.1.0-2	2.1.0-2ubuntu0.1~esm1

History

History
Recorded	Changed	Sources
Nov 6, 2026	affected, facts
Nov 3, 2026	aliases	EUVD
Nov 2, 2026	first indexed	CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2015-8855 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.5) in Nodejs Node.js, published January 23, 2017. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 6.89%, the 94th percentile. Fixed in semver 4.3.2.

References

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