Webpack 4.44.1 is a patch release following version 4.44.0, primarily focused on bug fixes and minor improvements rather than introducing major new features. Both versions remain powerful module bundlers for modern JavaScript applications, enabling developers to efficiently manage and package code for the web. Reviewing the dependencies and devDependencies for both the versions there aren't any changes, so the patch probably contains some fixed regarding internal code/logic, or possible some security enhancements.
Developers already using Webpack 4.44.0 can expect a seamless upgrade to 4.44.1, ideally resolving any outstanding issues they might have encountered. The core functionality remains the same: efficiently bundling JavaScript, CSS, and other assets; supporting various module formats (CommonJS, AMD, ES modules); and offering a rich ecosystem of loaders and plugins to extend its capabilities. Key features like code splitting, lazy loading, and hot module replacement continue to be supported.
While the update might seem incremental, patch releases are crucial for maintaining stability and security. Developers are advised to consult the changelog for a comprehensive list of specific fixes. When upgrading, as always, testing is recommended to ensure compatibility with existing configurations and workflows.
All the vulnerabilities related to the version 4.44.1 of the package
Regular Expression Denial of Service (ReDoS) in micromatch
The NPM package micromatch prior to version 4.0.8 is vulnerable to Regular Expression Denial of Service (ReDoS). The vulnerability occurs in micromatch.braces() in index.js because the pattern .* will greedily match anything. By passing a malicious payload, the pattern matching will keep backtracking to the input while it doesn't find the closing bracket. As the input size increases, the consumption time will also increase until it causes the application to hang or slow down. There was a merged fix but further testing shows the issue persisted prior to https://github.com/micromatch/micromatch/pull/266. This issue should be mitigated by using a safe pattern that won't start backtracking the regular expression due to greedy matching.
Uncontrolled resource consumption in braces
The NPM package braces fails to limit the number of characters it can handle, which could lead to Memory Exhaustion. In lib/parse.js, if a malicious user sends "imbalanced braces" as input, the parsing will enter a loop, which will cause the program to start allocating heap memory without freeing it at any moment of the loop. Eventually, the JavaScript heap limit is reached, and the program will crash.
