Summary
Workarounds
There are no official workarounds for this vulnerability.
Credits
We'd like to thank tyage (GMO CyberSecurity by IERAE) for responsible disclosure of this issue.
Impact
If a Next.js application is performing authorization in middleware based on pathname, it was possible for this authorization to be bypassed.
The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions. Typical impact: unauthorized data access or execution of privileged operations.
CVE-2024-51479 has a CVSS score of 7.5 (High). The vector is network-reachable, no 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 (14.2.15); 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.
Remediation advice
This issue was patched in Next.js 14.2.15 and later.
If your Next.js application is hosted on Vercel, this vulnerability has been automatically mitigated, regardless of Next.js version.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2024-51479? CVE-2024-51479 is a high-severity incorrect authorization vulnerability in next (npm), affecting versions >= 9.5.5, < 14.2.15. It is fixed in 14.2.15. The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions.
- How severe is CVE-2024-51479? CVE-2024-51479 has a CVSS score of 7.5 (High). 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 next are affected by CVE-2024-51479? next (npm) versions >= 9.5.5, < 14.2.15 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2024-51479? Yes. CVE-2024-51479 is fixed in 14.2.15. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2024-51479 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2024-51479 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-2024-51479 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-2024-51479? Upgrade
nextto 14.2.15 or later.