CVE-2026-114143 — toml-node: Quadratic-complexity DoS via long dotted keys or table paths in toml.parse()
toml-node is a TOML parser for Node.js and the browser. Prior to 5.0.1, toml.parse() repeatedly slices and rejoins every path prefix in lib/compiler.js while processing long dotted keys, table headers, array-of-tables headers, and inline-table keys in assign(), deepRef(), and setNestedKey(). The resulting quadratic work can block the Node.js event loop for several seconds, and sufficiently long paths can terminate the process through memory exhaustion. The maxDepth option does not limit key-segment count and therefore does not mitigate this path. This issue is fixed in version 5.0.1.
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- EPSS 0.4% (30-day exploitation probability)+5
- Technical severity (high)+6
- CISA SSVC: exploitation "poc"+5
- Automatable exploitation (SSVC)+3
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
CISA SSVC assessment CISA
Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
- Npm Toml: fixed in version 5.0.1 — github.com (GitHub Security Advisories)
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (BinaryMuse Toml-node, Npm Toml).
- The attack is network-based and needs no privileges: restrict exposure (ACLs, VPN, WAF) until patched.
- Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
- Search available logs for exploit probes, errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BinaryMuse | Toml-node | version < 5.0.1 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Npm | Toml | ≤ 5.0.0 | Vulnerable | GitHub Security Advisories |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.7 | CVSS 4.0 | High | — | — | security-advisories@github.com via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 8.7 | CVSS 4.0 | High | — | — | GitHub_M via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X (score shown at the top: security-advisories@github.com) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 22, 2026 → Oct 27, 2026 · 6 reading(s) · max 0.37%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Prioritize edge telemetry for the network-reachable component (proxy, WAF, IDS/IPS).
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- SSVC assessment updated
- Fix documented
- Affected products added · npm/toml
- Source status changed · Received → Deferred
- Source status changed · Published → Received
- Record published
- CVSS changed · 8.7
- Source status changed · → Published
- Record created in this database
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 1× References added · Oct 22, 2026 – Oct 22, 2026
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 21, 2026 – Oct 21, 2026
References
5 on the record
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- High CVE-2026-114144 toml-node: Uncontrolled resource consumption (CPU DoS) via unbounded-length integer literals in toml.parse() 6d
- High CVE-2026-114141 toml-node: Quadratic-complexity DoS via many array-of-tables headers in toml.parse() 6d
- High CVE-2026-114142 toml-node: Prototype pollution: parsing a TOML document can write to Object.prototype 6d
- High CVE-2026-63376 toml-node: Prototype Pollution Leads to `Object.prototype` Corruption via `__proto__` Key-Path Desynchronization Sep 3, 2026
- High CVE-2026-77465 toml-node: Uncontrolled Recursion Sep 3, 2026
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2026-114143 is "toml-node: Quadratic-complexity DoS via long dotted keys or table paths in toml.parse()", rated High. It affects Toml-node (BinaryMuse); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 8.7 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.37% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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