CVE-2025-32379: Koa Cross-Site Scripting Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-x2rg-q646-7m2v
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CVSS 5.0
CWE-79
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2025-32379 is a MODERATE (CVSS 5.0) cross-site scripting vulnerability (CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')) affecting Koa libraries in the npm ecosystem. The issue involves koajs vulnerable to cross-site scripting (xss) at ctx.redirect() function. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 2.16.1, 3.0.0-alpha.5.

CVE-2025-32379 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2025-32379
GHSA Identifier GHSA-x2rg-q646-7m2v
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 5.0
CWE Classification CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
Affected Product Koa
Package Ecosystem npm
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 5.0

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity High (AC:H)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction Required (UI:R)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality Low (C:L)
Integrity Low (I:L)
Availability Low (A:L)

How to Fix CVE-2025-32379

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Koa dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

koa fixed: 2.16.1 
npm install koa@2.16.1
koa fixed: 3.0.0-alpha.5 
npm install koa@3.0.0-alpha.5
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

npm ls koa

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Node.js application is affected by CVE-2025-32379, inspect your project dependencies using npm:

npm ls koa

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Koa in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 2.16.1), your application is affected.

Note: The npm ls koa command inspects dependencies declared in your package.json and lockfile; it does not perform automated runtime dynamic scanning.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting'), where the product does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes user-controllable input before it is placed in output that is used as a web page that is served to other users. In Koa, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

### Summary In koa < 2.16.1 and < 3.0.0-alpha.5, passing untrusted user input to ctx.redirect() even after sanitizing it, may execute javascript code on the user who use the app. ### Patches This issue is patched in 2.16.1 and 3.0.0-alpha.5. ### PoC Coming soon... ### Impact 1. Redirect user to another phishing site 2. Make request to another endpoint of the application based on user's cookie 3. Steal user's cookie

CVE-2025-32379 Affected Koa Versions

2 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
2.16.13.0.0-alpha.5
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
koa
npm/koa
npm
< 2.16.1
2.16.1
koa
npm/koa
npm
≥ 3.0.0-alpha.1
< 3.0.0-alpha.5
3.0.0-alpha.5

References

GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/koajs/koa/security/advisories/GHSA-x2rg-q646-7m2v
NVD — CVE-2025-32379 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-32379
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/koajs/koa/commit/ff25eb4a7f2392df46481fe86355161067687312
Koa Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/koajs/koa

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-32379?
CVE-2025-32379 is a security vulnerability in Koa involving Koajs vulnerable to Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) at ctx.redirect() function under CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting').
Which Koa versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 2.16.1, 3.0.0-alpha.5 across affected packages: koa.
What version fixes CVE-2025-32379?
Upgrading to 2.16.1, 3.0.0-alpha.5 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is koa affected?
Yes, koa is affected in releases prior to 2.16.1, 3.0.0-alpha.5. Upgrade your dependency to 2.16.1, 3.0.0-alpha.5 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2025-32379?
CVE-2025-32379 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.0 (MODERATE) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2025-32379?
CVE-2025-32379 is classified under CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') (The product does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes user-controllable input before it is placed in output that is used as a web page that is served to other users.).
How can I check npm dependencies for CVE-2025-32379?
Run the dependency tree command: 'npm ls koa'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-x2rg-q646-7m2v",
  "modified" : "2025-04-09T20:29:43Z",
  "published" : "2025-04-09T13:00:07Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2025-32379" ],
  "summary" : "Koajs vulnerable to Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) at ctx.redirect() function",
  "details" : "### Summary\nIn koa < 2.16.1 and < 3.0.0-alpha.5, passing untrusted user input to ctx.redirect() even after sanitizing it, may execute javascript code on the user who use the app.\n\n### Patches\nThis issue is patched in  2.16.1 and 3.0.0-alpha.5.\n\n### PoC\nComing soon...\n\n### Impact\n1. Redirect user to another phishing site\n2. Make request to another endpoint of the application based on user's cookie\n3. Steal user's cookie",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "koa"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2.16.1"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "koa"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "3.0.0-alpha.1"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "3.0.0-alpha.5"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/koajs/koa/security/advisories/GHSA-x2rg-q646-7m2v"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-32379"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/koajs/koa/commit/ff25eb4a7f2392df46481fe86355161067687312"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/koajs/koa"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-79" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2025-04-09T13:00:07Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2025-04-09T16:15:25Z"
  }
}