Summary
Versions of @hapi/content prior to 4.1.1 and 5.0.1 are vulnerable to Denial of Service. The Content-Encoding HTTP header parser has a vulnerability which will cause the function to throw a system error if the header contains some invalid values. Because hapi rethrows system errors (as opposed to catching expected application errors), the error is thrown all the way up the stack. If no unhandled exception handler is available, the application will exist, allowing an attacker to shut down services.
Impact
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
Upgrade to version 5.0.2. Versions 4.1.1 and 5.0.1 are fixed but only available for direct download through the repository.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is GHSA-3WQH-H42R-X8FQ? GHSA-3WQH-H42R-X8FQ is a high-severity security vulnerability in @hapi/content (npm), affecting versions < 5.0.2. It is fixed in 5.0.2.
- Which versions of @hapi/content are affected by GHSA-3WQH-H42R-X8FQ? @hapi/content (npm) versions < 5.0.2 is affected.
- Is there a fix for GHSA-3WQH-H42R-X8FQ? Yes. GHSA-3WQH-H42R-X8FQ is fixed in 5.0.2. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is GHSA-3WQH-H42R-X8FQ exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-3WQH-H42R-X8FQ 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 GHSA-3WQH-H42R-X8FQ 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 GHSA-3WQH-H42R-X8FQ? Upgrade
@hapi/contentto 5.0.2 or later.