music-metadata: ID3v2 tag size not validated before allocation, causing memory exhaustion DoS

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS

6.2 · CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

EPSS

• CVE-2026-107388: 0.19% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 9.05 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Summary The ID3v2 parser in music-metadata trusts the tag size field without validation and allocates the full requested buffer before reading. A specially crafted MP3 file with a truncated ID3v2 tag can force allocation of up to 268 MB from a 10-byte file, causing server memory exhaustion. This vulnerability affects all parsers that support ID3v2 tags (MP3, FLAC, DSF, Musepack) and succeeds silently—callers don't see an error. --- Details Vulnerable Code Path: - lib/id3v2/ID3v2Token.ts:108 - Syncsafe size read without validation - lib/id3v2/ID3v2Parser.ts:122 - Full tag body allocated before reading - lib/id3v2/AbstractID3Parser.ts:22 - Allocation happens before stream validation Root Cause: The ID3v2 parser reads a syncsafe integer representing the tag size (maximum 268,435,455 bytes or 0x0FFFFFFF) and immediately allocates a buffer of that size without checking: 1. If the tag size exceeds the remaining file size 2. If the tag size exceeds a reasonable maximum 3. If the subsequent…

Published by the source

8 Oct 2026, 19:43 UTC

Last modified by the source

8 Oct 2026, 20:00 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 13:07 UTC

1. Revision 3 · amended · 26 Oct 2026

   Amended from ghsa record GHSA-jjpr-9cvf-cq55

2. Revision 2 · amended · 24 Oct 2026

   Amended from osv record GHSA-jjpr-9cvf-cq55

3. Revision 1 · created · 23 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-jjpr-9cvf-cq55

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2026-107388

Advisory: music-metadata: ID3v2 tag size not validated before allocation, causing memory exhaustion DoS
IDs: CVE-2026-107388, GHSA-jjpr-9cvf-cq55
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2026-107388 (revision 3, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 13:07 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Medium (CVSS 6.2)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: music-metadata 11.16.0. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- npm music-metadata: affected <= 11.12.3; fixed in 11.16.0

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- `npm ls music-metadata --all`: lists every installed copy and version, including transitive ones. Run in the project root after `npm ci`.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on music-metadata.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-jjpr-9cvf-cq55 (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-jjpr-9cvf-cq55 lists affected ranges: npm music-metadata >=0 <=11.12.3)
- Verified: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-jjpr-9cvf-cq55 (OSV record GHSA-jjpr-9cvf-cq55 lists affected ranges: npm music-metadata >=0 <11.16.0 (fixed))

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