Serialize-javascript is a valuable npm package for developers needing to convert JavaScript values, including those not natively supported by JSON (like regular expressions and functions), into a serializable string format suitable for various applications like server-side rendering, caching, or data transfer. Examining versions 1.7.0 and 1.6.1 reveals subtle yet potentially impactful changes.
While the core functionality and development dependencies remain consistent – utilizing tools like Benchmark, Chai, Istanbul, and Mocha for testing and analysis – the key differentiators lie in the updated version's increased unpacked size (13353 bytes vs 12417 bytes) and release date. This hints at internal improvements, bug fixes, or potentially the inclusion of new features or enhanced handling of specific data types within version 1.7.0. Released in April 2019, version 1.7.0 is a newer iteration with updates that have been incorporated since December 2018.
Developers should consider upgrading to version 1.7.0 from 1.6.1 to benefit from these potential enhancements, which could improve serialization accuracy, performance, or security. While the fundamental usage remains consistent, examining the package's changelog or repository for specific version 1.7.0 release notes is recommended to understand the precise modifications and ensure compatibility with existing codebases.
All the vulnerabilities related to the version 1.7.0 of the package
Cross-Site Scripting in serialize-javascript
Versions of serialize-javascript prior to 2.1.1 are vulnerable to Cross-Site Scripting (XSS). The package fails to sanitize serialized regular expressions. This vulnerability does not affect Node.js applications.
Upgrade to version 2.1.1 or later.
Insecure serialization leading to RCE in serialize-javascript
serialize-javascript prior to 3.1.0 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary code via the function "deleteFunctions" within "index.js".
An object such as {"foo": /1"/, "bar": "a\"@__R-<UID>-0__@"} was serialized as {"foo": /1"/, "bar": "a\/1"/}, which allows an attacker to escape the bar key. This requires the attacker to control the values of both foo and bar and guess the value of <UID>. The UID has a keyspace of approximately 4 billion making it a realistic network attack.
