---
date: '2026-01-28T17:00:00.000Z'
category: vulnerability
title: OpenSSL Security Advisory Assessment, January 2026
layout: blog-post
author: The Node.js Project
---

## Summary

The OpenSSL project released a security advisory that includes 12 CVEs.
After assessment, we have concluded that three CVEs affect Node.js (severity Low to Moderate).
Given the limited attack surface, the OpenSSL updates will be included in
upcoming regular Node.js releases rather than dedicated security releases.

## Analysis

All three vulnerabilities relate to how Node.js processes PFX (PKCS#12) certificate files,
which are used when configuring TLS connections via the `pfx` option.
An attacker would need to provide a specially crafted PFX file to trigger any of these issues.
Since PFX files typically come from trusted local sources (e.g., your own private keys
and certificates), the attack surface is limited in practice.

### CVE-2025-11187: Stack buffer overflow in PBMAC1 MAC verification - Moderate

| Branch | OpenSSL Version | Affected |
| ------ | --------------- | -------- |
| v20.x  | 3.0.15          | No       |
| v22.x  | 3.5.4           | Yes      |
| v24.x  | 3.5.4           | Yes      |
| v25.x  | 3.5.4           | Yes      |
| main   | 3.5.4           | Yes      |

OpenSSL 3.0 (used by v20.x) does not support PBMAC1 and is therefore not affected.

### CVE-2025-69421: NULL pointer dereference in PKCS12_item_decrypt_d2i_ex() - Low

| Branch | OpenSSL Version | Affected |
| ------ | --------------- | -------- |
| v20.x  | 3.0.15          | Yes      |
| v22.x  | 3.5.4           | Yes      |
| v24.x  | 3.5.4           | Yes      |
| v25.x  | 3.5.4           | Yes      |
| main   | 3.5.4           | Yes      |

This function is called internally by `PKCS12_parse()`. All branches are affected.

### CVE-2026-22795: Type confusion during PKCS#12 parsing - Low

| Branch | OpenSSL Version | Affected |
| ------ | --------------- | -------- |
| v20.x  | 3.0.15          | Yes      |
| v22.x  | 3.5.4           | Yes      |
| v24.x  | 3.5.4           | Yes      |
| v25.x  | 3.5.4           | Yes      |
| main   | 3.5.4           | Yes      |

Both OpenSSL 3.0 and 3.5 are vulnerable. All branches are affected.

## CVEs that do not affect Node.js

The following 9 CVEs do not affect Node.js on any branch:

- **CVE-2025-15467 (High, CMS AuthEnvelopedData):** Node.js does not use CMS APIs.
- **CVE-2025-15468 (Low, SSL_CIPHER_find + QUIC):** Node.js never calls `SSL_CIPHER_find()`.
- **CVE-2025-15469 (Low, openssl dgst truncation):** Command-line tool only.
- **CVE-2025-66199 (Low, TLS 1.3 CompressedCertificate):** Node.js builds with `OPENSSL_NO_COMP` on all branches, so certificate compression is disabled.
- **CVE-2025-68160 (Low, BIO_f_linebuffer):** Node.js does not use this BIO filter.
- **CVE-2025-69418 (Low, low-level OCB):** Node.js uses the EVP API, which the advisory confirms avoids the vulnerable path.
- **CVE-2025-69419 (Low, PKCS12_get_friendlyname):** Node.js does not call this function; the advisory notes `PKCS12_parse()` uses a separate safe path.
- **CVE-2025-69420 (Low, TS_RESP_verify_response):** Node.js does not use timestamp protocol APIs.
- **CVE-2026-22796 (Low, PKCS7_digest_from_attributes):** Node.js does not call PKCS#7 signature verification APIs.

## Contact and future updates

The current Node.js security policy can be found at <https://github.com/nodejs/node/security/policy#security>,
including information on how to report a vulnerability in Node.js.

Subscribe to the low-volume announcement-only **nodejs-sec** mailing list at
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/nodejs-sec to stay up to date on
security vulnerabilities and security-related releases of Node.js and the
projects maintained in the
[nodejs GitHub organization](https://github.com/nodejs).
