Webpack 4.8.0, released shortly after 4.7.0, offers subtle improvements and refinements to this popular JavaScript module bundler. Both versions share the core functionality of packing CommonJs, AMD modules for browser deployment, supporting code splitting for on-demand loading, and leveraging loaders for preprocessing diverse file types like JSON, JSX, CSS, and LESS. Comparing the dependency lists reveals some minor updates, such as the introduction of @webassemblyjs packages in 4.8.0, hinting at ongoing efforts to enhance WebAssembly support.
While the core features and many dependencies remain consistent, developers should note the minor bump in file count and unpacked size from 4.7.0 to 4.8.0. These changes typically reflect bug fixes, performance optimizations, or small feature additions. Examining the detailed changelog (available on the webpack GitHub repository) would provide precise insights into the specific modifications made in 4.8.0.
For developers already using Webpack 4, upgrading to 4.8.0 is likely a low-risk proposition, promising potential stability enhancements and subtle performance improvements without requiring significant configuration changes. If you observe any breaking changes or errors remember to check the changelogs and upgrade your dependencies to the correct version. However, thorough testing is always advised when upgrading any dependency in a production environment. Both versions are licensed under the MIT license. The release dates indicate a rapid iteration cycle, emphasizing webpack's active development and commitment to addressing community needs, making regular updates beneficial for long-term project health.
All the vulnerabilities related to the version 4.8.0 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.
Regular Expression Denial of Service (ReDoS)
npm ssri 5.2.2-6.0.1 and 7.0.0-8.0.0, processes SRIs using a regular expression which is vulnerable to a denial of service. Malicious SRIs could take an extremely long time to process, leading to denial of service. This issue only affects consumers using the strict option.
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.
