# CVE-2023-46233: crypto-js PBKDF2 weak key derivation with insufficient iterations

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2023-46233-crypto-js-pbkdf2-weak-key-derivation-with-insufficient-iterations  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2023-10-25. Updated: 2026-09-25  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2023-46233 · Severity: low · CVSS 3.1 · Published 2023-10-25

crypto-js is a JavaScript library for cryptographic operations used by thousands of applications to derive encryption keys from passwords. The PBKDF2 key-derivation function in crypto-js defaults to only 1 iteration and SHA1 hashing, making it 1,000 times weaker than 1993 standards and 1.3 million times weaker than current industry recommendations. Attackers can forge cryptographic signatures or compromise password-protected data with relatively modest computational resources.

Technologies: [crypto-js (npm)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/crypto-js). Vendors: [npm](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/npm).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2023-46233 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2023-46233 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2023-46233?** Low severity, with a CVSS score of 3.1, published 25 October 2023.

**Which products and versions are affected?** crypto-js (npm) SEMVER:introduced=0,fixed=4.2.0.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2023-46233?** Yes. crypto-js (npm): upgrade to 4.2.0 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2023-46233 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2023-46233?** Check whether you run crypto-js (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

- crypto-js (npm): upgrade to 4.2.0 or later

  ```sh
  npm install crypto-js@4.2.0
  ```


## Technical details

The vulnerability exists in the crypto-js PBKDF2 implementation, which defaults to a single iteration count and SHA1 as the hash algorithm, rather than the OWASP-recommended 1,300,000 iterations with SHA256. PBKDF2 is a key-derivation function used to stretch password entropy and protect password storage; its security relies critically on a high iteration count to slow down brute-force attacks. The weak defaults make offline password cracking and signature forgery attacks computationally feasible: an attacker can generate colliding signatures for known inputs for approximately $45,000 in compute costs, and due to length-extension weaknesses, can forge signatures for unknown data prefixed by known values even when salts or peppers are applied. The vulnerability affects all versions of crypto-js since its creation; the package is unmaintained and no official patch is available, though version 4.2.0 or later may contain fixes via community contributions.

## Affected products

- crypto-js crypto-js all versions before 4.2.0

## Identifiers

- CVE-2023-46233
- GHSA-xwcq-pm8m-c4vf

## Timeline

- 2023-10-25: disclosed
- 2023-10-25: advisory

## References

- [https://github.com/brix/crypto-js/security/advisories/GHSA-xwcq-pm8m-c4vf](https://github.com/brix/crypto-js/security/advisories/GHSA-xwcq-pm8m-c4vf)

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