Forge: X.509 pathLenConstraint not enforced by verifyCertificateChain() for CA certificates without keyUsage

Exploitation

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

CVSS

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

EPSS

• CVE-2026-119189: 0.17% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 5.81 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-10). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Summary `forge.pki.verifyCertificateChain()` enforces the `pathLenConstraint` of a CA certificate's `basicConstraints` extension only when that certificate also has a `keyUsage` extension. For a CA certificate with a `pathLenConstraint` and no `keyUsage`, chains with more intermediate CA certificates below it than the constraint allows are accepted. Fixed in node-forge 1.4.1.

Details In `pki.verifyCertificateChain()` (`lib/x509.js`), the path length check for a CA certificate was guarded by `keyUsageExt !== null && 'pathLenConstraint' in bcExt`. The `keyUsage` test was originally a proxy for "a basicConstraints extension exists". Since node-forge 1.4.0 (GHSA-2328-f5f3-gj25), basicConstraints is required for every certificate that reaches this check, so the only remaining effect of the guard is to skip `pathLenConstraint` enforcement for CA certificates without `keyUsage`. RFC 5280 permits CA certificates without `keyUsage`, and path length processing in section 6.1.4 (l)-(m)…

Published by the source

10 Nov 2026, 15:57 UTC

Last modified by the source

10 Nov 2026, 16:15 UTC

Source last checked

11 Nov 2026, 06:00 UTC

1. Revision 2 · amended · 11 Nov 2026

   Amended from osv record GHSA-h46v-rmh6-fq4f

2. Revision 1 · created · 10 Nov 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-h46v-rmh6-fq4f

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2026-119189

Advisory: Forge: X.509 pathLenConstraint not enforced by verifyCertificateChain() for CA certificates without keyUsage
IDs: CVE-2026-119189, GHSA-h46v-rmh6-fq4f
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2026-119189 (revision 2, source checked 11 Nov 2026, 06:00 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Medium (CVSS 5.9)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: node-forge 1.4.1. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- npm node-forge: affected < 1.4.1; fixed in 1.4.1

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- `npm ls node-forge --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 node-forge.
- 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-h46v-rmh6-fq4f (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-h46v-rmh6-fq4f lists affected ranges: npm node-forge >=0 <=1.4.0)
- Verified: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-h46v-rmh6-fq4f (OSV record GHSA-h46v-rmh6-fq4f lists affected ranges: npm node-forge >=0 <1.4.1 (fixed))

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