Session 13A: JavaScript Security  Authors, Creators & Presenters: Darion Cassel (Carnegie Mellon University), Nuno Sabino (IST & CMU), Min-Chien Hsu (Carnegie Mellon University), Ruben Martins (Carnegie Mellon University), Limin Jia (Carnegie Mellon University) PAPER NodeMedic-FINE: Automatic Detection and Exploit Synthesis for Node.js Vulnerabilities The Node.js ecosystem comprises millions of packages written in JavaScript. Many packages suffer from vulnerabilities such as arbitrary code execution (ACE) and arbitrary command injection (ACI). Prior work has developed automated tools based on dynamic taint tracking to detect potential vulnerabilities, and to synthesize proof-of-concept exploits that confirm them, with limited success. One challenge these tools face is that expected inputs to package APIs often have varied types and object structure. Failure to call these APIs with inputs of the correct type and with specific fields leads to unsuccessful exploit generation and missed vulnerabilities. Generating inputs that can successfully deliver the desired exploit payload despite manipulation performed by the package is also difficult. To address these challenges, we use a type and object-structure aware fuzzer to generate inputs to explore more execution paths during dynamic taint analysis. We leverage information generated by the taint analysis to infer the types and structure of the inputs, which are then used by the exploit synthesis engine to guide exploit generation. We implement NodeMedic-FINE and evaluate it on 33,011 npm packages that contain calls to ACE and ACI sinks. Our tool finds 2257 potential flows and automatically synthesizes working exploits in 766 packages.  ABOUT NDSS The Network and Distributed System Security Symposium (NDSS) fosters information exchange among researchers and practitioners of network and distributed system security. The target audience includes those interested in practical aspects of network and distributed system security, with a focus on actual system design and implementation. A major goal is to encourage and enable the Internet community to apply, deploy, and advance the state of available security technologies.  Our thanks to the Network and Distributed System Security (NDSS) Symposium for publishing their Creators, Authors and Presenter’s superb NDSS Symposium 2025 Conference content on the Organizations' YouTube Channel.  Permalink

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NodeMedic-FINE is a research tool presented at NDSS 2025 that automatically detects vulnerabilities and synthesizes exploits in Node.js/npm packages. It addresses limitations of prior dynamic taint tracking tools by using a type and object-structure aware fuzzer to generate better API inputs, enabling broader exploration of execution paths. Evaluated on 33,011 npm packages with arbitrary code execution (ACE) and arbitrary command injection (ACI) sinks, it identified 2,257 potential vulnerability flows and successfully synthesized working exploits for 766 packages.

NDSS 2025 – NodeMedic-FINE: Automatic Detection And Exploit Synthesis For Node.js Vulnerabilities