CVE-2023-46298 — next
Fix: vercel/next.js#54732CVE-2023-46298 is a security vulnerability in next. 1 public exploit reference exists, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for next — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Next.js missing cache-control header may lead to CDN caching empty reply
Exploitation Status
Proof-of-concept exploit code exists
- CISA’s SSVC triage found public proof-of-concept exploit code for this CVE, though no confirmed active exploitation.
- CISA assesses this as automatable — exploitation doesn’t require manual, per-target effort, which raises the odds of mass scanning and opportunistic attacks.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for CVE-2023-46298.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
Real-World Exposure
How broadly this vulnerability is actually deployed: weekly install volume shows current usage, and reverse-dependency count shows how many other packages break if it stays unpatched.
nextnpmDescription
Next.js before 13.4.20-canary.13 lacks a cache-control header and thus empty prefetch responses may sometimes be cached by a CDN, causing a denial of service to all users requesting the same URL via that CDN. Cloudflare considers these requests cacheable assets.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📦npm | next | ≥ 0.9.9&&< 13.4.20-canary.13 | 13.4.20-canary.13npm install next@13.4.20-canary.13 |
Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for next, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update next to 13.4.20-canary.13 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2023-46298 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like CVE-2023-46298 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to CVE-2023-46298. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2023-46298 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds CVE-2023-46298 across npm dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.