GHSA-6f65-4fv2-wwch
Vendure vulnerable to timing attack that enables user enumeration in NativeAuthenticationStrategy
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.
Blast Radius
Weekly download volume for affected packages — a proxy for how broadly this vulnerability is deployed.
@vendure/corenpmDescription
Summary
The NativeAuthenticationStrategy.authenticate() method is vulnerable to a timing attack that allows attackers to enumerate valid usernames (email addresses).
Details
In packages/core/src/config/auth/native-authentication-strategy.ts, the authenticate method returns immediately if a user is not found:
const user = await this.userService.getUserByEmailAddress(ctx, data.username);
if (!user) {
return false; // Instant return (~1-5ms)
}
const passwordMatch = await this.verifyUserPassword(ctx, user.id, data.password);
// Password check takes ~200-400ms with bcrypt (12 rounds)
The significant timing difference (~200-400ms for bcrypt vs ~1-5ms for DB miss) allows attackers to reliably distinguish between existing and non-existing accounts.
Impact
- Attackers can enumerate valid user accounts
- Enables targeted brute-force or phishing attacks
- Information disclosure (account existence)
Recommended Fix
Perform a dummy bcrypt check when user is not found to ensure consistent response times.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📦npm | @vendure/core | all versions | 3.5.3 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for @vendure/core. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.
Fix
Update @vendure/core to 3.5.3 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-6f65-4fv2-wwch 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 pinpoints whether GHSA-6f65-4fv2-wwch is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.
Tailored to GHSA-6f65-4fv2-wwch. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-6f65-4fv2-wwch in your dependencies?
O3 detects GHSA-6f65-4fv2-wwch across npm dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.