CVE-2026-119186
Description
A flaw was found in node-forge. The library fails to validate the authentication tag length option when decrypting data using AES-GCM (Advanced Encryption Standard in Galois/Counter Mode). A remote attacker can exploit this flaw by submitting crafted ciphertext with an empty authentication tag to applications that permit zero-length tags. This allows an attacker to bypass cryptographic authentication and have forged messages accepted as authentic.
Statement
Moderate severity is assigned to this flaw because successful exploitation requires specific non-default conditions where consumer applications dynamically derive encryption parameters or accept zero-length tags from untrusted input. Typical deployments across Red Hat environments utilize standard configurations that default to the 128-bit authentication tag, which prevents forged ciphertexts from being accepted. Consequently, the practical risk is constrained to implementations that explicitly expose tag length assignment to unvalidated external data.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Info alert:Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).
The following CVSS metrics and score provided are preliminary and subject to review.
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 5.9 | N/A | 5.9 |
| Attack Vector | Network | N/A | Network |
| Attack Complexity | High | N/A | High |
| Privileges Required | None | N/A | None |
| User Interaction | None | N/A | None |
| Scope | Unchanged | N/A | Unchanged |
| Confidentiality | None | N/A | None |
| Integrity Impact | High | N/A | High |
| Availability Impact | None | N/A | None |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
cve.org: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Integrity,Other
Technical Impact: Modify Application Data; Other
Integrity checks usually use a secret key that helps authenticate the data origin. Skipping integrity checking generally opens up the possibility that new data from an invalid source can be injected.
Integrity,Other
Technical Impact: Other
Data that is parsed and used may be corrupted.
Non-Repudiation,Other
Technical Impact: Hide Activities; Other
Without a checksum check, it is impossible to determine if any changes have been made to the data after it was sent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not sure what something means? Check out our Security Glossary.
Want to get errata notifications? Sign up here.
