# @commercial/subtext denial of service via Content-Encoding header

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/commercial-subtext-denial-of-service-via-content-encoding-header-7155598d  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2020-09-03. Updated: 2026-09-25  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

Severity: info · Published 2020-09-03

@commercial/subtext is a Node.js library used to handle HTTP request parsing and content encoding. A flaw in the Content-Encoding header parser causes the application to crash when malformed header values are sent, allowing an attacker to shut down services without authentication or specialized access.

Technologies: [@commercial/subtext (npm)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/commercial-subtext). Vendors: [npm](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/npm).

## Quick answers

**Is This vulnerability exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of This vulnerability being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is This vulnerability?** Informational severity, published 3 September 2020.

**Which products and versions are affected?** @commercial/subtext (npm) SEMVER:introduced=5.1.1,fixed=5.1.2.

**Is there a fix for This vulnerability?** Yes. @commercial/subtext (npm): upgrade to 5.1.2 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is This vulnerability attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected?** Check whether you run @commercial/subtext (npm) at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## How to fix

- @commercial/subtext (npm): upgrade to 5.1.2 or later

  ```sh
  npm install @commercial/subtext@5.1.2
  ```


## Technical details

The vulnerability exists in the Content-Encoding HTTP header parser in @commercial/subtext version 5.1.1, where invalid header values trigger an unhandled system error. The hapi framework rethrows system errors rather than catching application errors, causing the exception to propagate uncaught to the process level. An attacker can send a crafted HTTP request with a malformed Content-Encoding header to trigger the crash and terminate the application. The fix is available in version 5.1.2 and later.

## Affected products

- @commercial subtext 5.1.1

## Timeline

- 2020-09-03: disclosed

## References

- [https://www.npmjs.com/advisories/1477](https://www.npmjs.com/advisories/1477)

## Related threats

- [@commercial/subtext denial of service in payload handling](https://junglewise.ai/threats/commercial-subtext-denial-of-service-in-payload-handling-accfbde9)
- [Commercial @commercial/subtext prototype pollution in multipart parsing](https://junglewise.ai/threats/commercial-commercial-subtext-prototype-pollution-in-multipart-parsing-aa7a56bc)