CVE-2025-7338 Vulnerability Report High Severity In Platform-express-11.1.3.tgz

This report details a high-severity vulnerability found in the platform-express-11.1.3.tgz library. The vulnerability, CVE-2025-7338, has a CVSS score of 7.5 and affects the transitive dependency multer-2.0.1.tgz. This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the vulnerability, its impact, and potential remediation strategies.

Vulnerability Overview

The platform-express-11.1.3.tgz library has a high-severity vulnerability stemming from its dependency on multer-2.0.1.tgz. This vulnerability, identified as CVE-2025-7338, poses a significant risk due to the potential for denial-of-service attacks. Understanding the specifics of this vulnerability is crucial for implementing effective mitigation measures.

CVE-2025-7338: Denial of Service in Multer

CVE-2025-7338 is a critical vulnerability affecting the multer-2.0.1.tgz package, a middleware for handling multipart/form-data in Node.js applications. The vulnerability allows an attacker to trigger a Denial of Service (DoS) attack by sending a malformed multi-part upload request. This malformed request leads to an unhandled exception, causing the process to crash. The severity of this vulnerability is rated as High, with a CVSS score of 7.5. To fully grasp the implications, let's delve into the specifics.

The root cause of this vulnerability lies in Multer's handling of malformed multipart requests. When a request doesn't conform to the expected structure, the middleware fails to process it correctly, resulting in an unhandled exception. This exception halts the application's execution, effectively denying service to legitimate users. The attack vector is over the network, meaning an attacker can exploit this vulnerability remotely. The attack complexity is low, requiring minimal effort from the attacker. No privileges or user interaction are required, making it easier for attackers to exploit. The impact is significant, as it affects the availability of the application. There's no impact on confidentiality or integrity, but the disruption of service can still have severe consequences for users and the organization.

Impact Assessment

The impact of CVE-2025-7338 on applications using platform-express-11.1.3.tgz is substantial. A successful exploit can lead to application downtime, impacting user experience and potentially causing financial losses. The high CVSS score of 7.5 underscores the severity of this risk. It is imperative to assess all applications using the vulnerable library and prioritize remediation efforts.

This vulnerability primarily affects the availability of the application. When an attacker sends a malformed multipart request, the server crashes, rendering the application inaccessible to users. This can lead to significant disruptions, especially for applications that require high uptime. Imagine an e-commerce website crashing during a flash sale or a critical service becoming unavailable during peak hours. The consequences can range from frustrated users to lost revenue and reputational damage. Although the vulnerability doesn't directly impact data confidentiality or integrity, the disruption caused by a DoS attack can indirectly lead to other security issues. For example, if an application crashes during a transaction, there's a risk of data corruption or incomplete operations. Therefore, addressing this vulnerability is crucial for maintaining the overall stability and reliability of the application.

Technical Details

The vulnerability resides in the multer-2.0.1.tgz package, specifically in how it processes multipart/form-data. Multer is a middleware designed to handle file uploads, which often come in the form of multipart requests. The vulnerability arises when the middleware encounters a malformed request that deviates from the expected format. Understanding the technical underpinnings of this vulnerability requires examining the request processing logic within Multer.

When Multer receives a multipart request, it parses the request body to extract the file data and other form fields. This process involves several steps, including boundary detection, header parsing, and data extraction. If the request is malformed, for example, if it lacks a required boundary or contains invalid headers, Multer may encounter an error during parsing. In vulnerable versions of Multer, these errors are not handled gracefully, leading to an unhandled exception. This exception causes the Node.js process to terminate abruptly, resulting in a DoS condition. The specific conditions that trigger the vulnerability may vary depending on the nature of the malformed request. It could be a missing boundary, an invalid content type, or an unexpected field structure. By crafting a request that exploits these weaknesses, an attacker can force Multer to crash, effectively taking the application offline. Analyzing the Multer source code and the specific error messages generated during a crash can provide valuable insights into the root cause of the vulnerability.

Affected Components

• Library: platform-express-11.1.3.tgz
• Transitive Dependency: multer-2.0.1.tgz
• Vulnerability: CVE-2025-7338

The vulnerable component is the multer-2.0.1.tgz package, which is a transitive dependency of platform-express-11.1.3.tgz. This means that applications using platform-express-11.1.3.tgz are indirectly exposed to the vulnerability. The dependency hierarchy is as follows: platform-express-11.1.3.tgz depends on multer-2.0.1.tgz. To fully understand the scope of the vulnerability, it's essential to identify all applications that use platform-express-11.1.3.tgz. This can be achieved by examining the project's package.json file or using dependency scanning tools. Once the affected applications are identified, it's crucial to assess their exposure to the vulnerability. This involves analyzing how the application uses Multer and whether it's likely to encounter malformed multipart requests. For example, an application that accepts file uploads from untrusted sources is at higher risk than an application that only processes internal data. By understanding the specific context in which Multer is used, organizations can prioritize remediation efforts and focus on the most critical systems.

Remediation

Unfortunately, there is no fixed version available for the direct dependency platform-express-11.1.3.tgz. However, the vulnerability lies within the transitive dependency multer-2.0.1.tgz. Therefore, remediation efforts should focus on addressing the multer dependency.

Mitigation Strategies

Since a direct fix for platform-express-11.1.3.tgz isn't available, consider these mitigation steps:

1. Evaluate Multer Usage: Assess how your application uses Multer. If possible, consider alternative file upload libraries or methods that do not rely on the vulnerable version of Multer. Reducing your dependency on vulnerable components can significantly decrease your attack surface.
2. Implement Input Validation: Add robust input validation to your application to filter out malformed multipart requests before they reach Multer. This can help prevent the vulnerability from being triggered. Input validation should include checks for required boundaries, valid content types, and expected field structures. By rejecting malformed requests early in the processing pipeline, you can reduce the risk of a DoS attack.
3. Web Application Firewall (WAF): Deploy a WAF to detect and block malicious requests targeting the vulnerability. A WAF can provide an additional layer of defense by inspecting HTTP traffic and filtering out requests that match known attack patterns. WAFs can be configured to block requests with missing boundaries, invalid content types, or other characteristics of malformed multipart requests. This can help protect your application even if the underlying vulnerability is not fully patched.

Long-Term Solution

• Monitor for Updates: Continuously monitor for updates to platform-express or its dependencies that address this vulnerability. Keep track of security advisories and vulnerability databases to stay informed about potential threats. When a fix becomes available, prioritize upgrading your application to the latest version.
• Dependency Management: Implement a robust dependency management strategy to ensure that your project uses the latest secure versions of all libraries. Use tools like npm or yarn to manage your dependencies and keep them up to date. Regularly audit your dependencies for vulnerabilities and take steps to remediate any issues that are found. This can help prevent future vulnerabilities from being introduced into your application.

Recommendation

Given the high severity of CVE-2025-7338, it is strongly recommended to implement the mitigation strategies outlined above immediately. Continuous monitoring and proactive dependency management are crucial for maintaining the security of your application.

Vulnerability Details

CVE-2025-7338

• Description: Denial of Service vulnerability in multer-2.0.1.tgz due to improper handling of malformed multipart requests.
• Severity: High (CVSS Score: 7.5)
• Affected Library: multer-2.0.1.tgz
• Root Library: platform-express-11.1.3.tgz
• Attack Vector: Network
• Attack Complexity: Low
• Privileges Required: None
• User Interaction: None
• Scope: Unchanged
• Confidentiality Impact: None
• Integrity Impact: None
• Availability Impact: High
• Mend URL: CVE-2025-7338

CVSS 3 Score Metrics (7.5)

• Base Score Metrics:
  • Exploitability Metrics:
    • Attack Vector: Network
    • Attack Complexity: Low
    • Privileges Required: None
    • User Interaction: None
    • Scope: Unchanged
  • Impact Metrics:
    • Confidentiality Impact: None
    • Integrity Impact: None
    • Availability Impact: High

For more information on CVSS3 Scores, click here.

Conclusion

The CVE-2025-7338 vulnerability in multer-2.0.1.tgz, a transitive dependency of platform-express-11.1.3.tgz, poses a significant risk of denial-of-service attacks. Immediate action is required to mitigate this risk. Implementing input validation, deploying a WAF, and monitoring for updates are crucial steps in protecting your application. Proactive dependency management and continuous security monitoring are essential for maintaining a secure software environment. By taking these steps, organizations can minimize the impact of this vulnerability and prevent future security incidents.