Vulnerabilities

Security fix · CVE-2026-118778

Forge: TLS client crash when the server sends no certificate

Published Oct 30, 2026 · catalog updated Oct 30, 2026 · Forge: TLS client crash

Last checked Nov 4, 2026. A connected source was read within the last 7 days.

Check if you run it

No confirmed exploitation is on record for CVE-2026-118778. EPSS is 0.20%. Act only if a listed version of Forge: TLS client crash is installed.

Severity

Medium5.9

Known exploitation

Not in CISA/VulnCheck KEV

EPSS

0.20%

Remediation

Version ranges on file

Affected products

npm node-forge

### Summary The forge TLS client's check for a missing server certificate read the wrong property and never ran. A malicious TLS server, or an on-path attacker who removes the server's Certificate message, can make throw a , which crashes applications that use the forge TLS client. Fixed in node-forge 1.4.1. ### Details After ServerHelloDone, in is meant to reject a server that sent no certificate with a fatal alert, after consulting the application's callback. The check tested , which is never set (the certificate is stored as ), so it never ran. The client state machine allows ServerHelloDone directly after ServerHello, so the handshake continued to , which reads and throws a on the null certificate. The exception propagates out of without calling the or callbacks. There is no authentication bypass: without a server certificate the client cannot build its RSA key exchange, so the handshake cannot complete. The fix reads and always fails the handshake in that case, still calling so the application can customize the alert. Failing even when returns is needed because the key exchange requires the certificate. #### Patches Fixed in node-forge 1.4.1. The TLS client fails the handshake with an alert when the server sends no certificate. #### Workarounds Catch exceptions thrown by in the code that feeds it network data, and close the connection when one occurs. #### Credits Reported by @arpitjain099. ### Proof of concept Connect a forge TLS client ( ) to a server whose first flight contains ServerHello and ServerHelloDone but no Certificate message. For example, run a forge TLS server and remove the Certificate handshake message (type 11) from its first flight before passing it to the client's . On 1.4.0 the client's throws "TypeError: Cannot read properties of null (reading 'publicKey')", and the and callbacks are not called. On 1.4.1 the client calls with and no certificates, calls with "No server certificate provided. Not enough security.", sends a fatal alert and clo