Summary
NodeBB vulnerable to path traversal in translator module
Workarounds
Cherry-pick commit hash c8b2fc46dc698db687379106b3f01c71b80f495f to receive this patch in lieu of a full upgrade.
For more information
If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:
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Impact
Prior to v1.18.5, a path traversal vulnerability was present that allowed users to access JSON files outside of the expected languages/ directory.
Input manipulates file paths to reach files outside the intended directory, such as configuration or credential files. Typical impact: unauthorized file read or write outside the intended directory.
CVE-2021-43788 has a CVSS score of 5.0 (Medium). The vector is network-reachable, low privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (1.18.5); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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The vulnerability has been patched as of v1.18.5.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2021-43788? CVE-2021-43788 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in nodebb (npm), affecting versions >= 1.0.4, < 1.18.5. It is fixed in 1.18.5. Input manipulates file paths to reach files outside the intended directory, such as configuration or credential files.
- How severe is CVE-2021-43788? CVE-2021-43788 has a CVSS score of 5.0 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of nodebb are affected by CVE-2021-43788? nodebb (npm) versions >= 1.0.4, < 1.18.5 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2021-43788? Yes. CVE-2021-43788 is fixed in 1.18.5. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2021-43788 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2021-43788 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2021-43788 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2021-43788? Upgrade
nodebbto 1.18.5 or later.