GHSA-MVRP-3CVX-C325

Zod denial of service vulnerability during email validation

- z.string().email()
+ z.string().regex(
+   /^(?!\.)(?!.*\.\.)([A-Z0-9_+-\.]*)[A-Z0-9_+-]@([A-Z0-9][A-Z0-9\-]*\.)+[A-Z]{2,}$/i
+ )

API servers running express-zod-api having:

• version of express-zod-api below 10.0.0-beta1,
• and using the following (or similar) validation schema in its implementation: z.string().email(),

are vulnerable to a DoS attack due to:

• Inefficient Regular Expression Complexity in zod versions up to 3.22.2,
• depending on zod.

A regular expression with worst-case exponential or polynomial matching time is applied to untrusted input, causing excessive CPU use. Typical impact: denial of service when input is crafted to trigger backtracking.

GHSA-MVRP-3CVX-C325 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 (10.0.0-beta1); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

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The patched version of zod fixing the vulnerability is 3.22.3.

However, it's highly recommended to upgrade express-zod-api to at least version 10.0.0, which does not depend on zod strictly and directly, but requires its installation as a peer dependency instead, enabling you to install the patched zod version yourself.

1. What is GHSA-MVRP-3CVX-C325? GHSA-MVRP-3CVX-C325 is a high-severity inefficient regular expression (ReDoS) vulnerability in express-zod-api (npm), affecting versions < 10.0.0-beta1. It is fixed in 10.0.0-beta1. A regular expression with worst-case exponential or polynomial matching time is applied to untrusted input, causing excessive CPU use.
2. How severe is GHSA-MVRP-3CVX-C325? GHSA-MVRP-3CVX-C325 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.
3. Which versions of express-zod-api are affected by GHSA-MVRP-3CVX-C325? express-zod-api (npm) versions < 10.0.0-beta1 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for GHSA-MVRP-3CVX-C325? Yes. GHSA-MVRP-3CVX-C325 is fixed in 10.0.0-beta1. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is GHSA-MVRP-3CVX-C325 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-MVRP-3CVX-C325 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
6. What actually determines whether GHSA-MVRP-3CVX-C325 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.
7. How do I fix GHSA-MVRP-3CVX-C325? Upgrade express-zod-api to 10.0.0-beta1 or later.