crypto: Fix potential null pointer dereference when BIO_meth_new() fails

[ndossche]

This function can return null, which will make the calls to BIO_meth_set_* trigger a null deref.
Even after fixing this, there is an issue with the BIOPointer::New(GetMethod()) call in NodeBIO::New because the New method cannot handle a null pointer despite other code already guarding for this
(e.g. the NodeBIO::New function already checks bio). This patch solves the issues by adding more null checks.

Note: this was found by a static-dynamic analyser I'm developing.

[nodejs-github-bot]

Review requested:

• @nodejs/crypto
• @nodejs/security-wg

[codecov]

Codecov Report

❌ Patch coverage is 0% with 1 line in your changes missing coverage. Please review.
✅ Project coverage is 89.73%. Comparing base (4a13a62) to head (6ffa012).
⚠️ Report is 67 commits behind head on main.

Files with missing lines	Patch %	Lines
src/crypto/crypto_bio.cc	0.00%	0 Missing and 1 partial ⚠️

Additional details and impacted files

@@            Coverage Diff             @@
##             main   #61788      +/-   ##
==========================================
- Coverage   89.76%   89.73%   -0.03%     
==========================================
  Files         675      675              
  Lines      204674   204675       +1     
  Branches    39330    39340      +10     
==========================================
- Hits       183716   183656      -60     
- Misses      13235    13293      +58     
- Partials     7723     7726       +3     

Files with missing lines	Coverage Δ
src/crypto/crypto_bio.cc	75.52% <0.00%> (-0.27%)	⬇️

... and 35 files with indirect coverage changes

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• ❄️ Test Analytics: Detect flaky tests, report on failures, and find test suite problems.
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[nodejs-github-bot]

CI: https://ci.nodejs.org/job/node-test-pull-request/71327/

[nodejs-github-bot]

CI: https://ci.nodejs.org/job/node-test-pull-request/71339/

[nodejs-github-bot]

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- Loading data for nodejs/node/pull/61788
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----------------------------------- PR info ------------------------------------
Title      crypto: Fix potential null pointer dereference when BIO_meth_new() fails (#61788)
   ⚠  Could not retrieve the email or name of the PR author's from user's GitHub profile!
Branch     ndossche:clesss-1 -> nodejs:main
Labels     crypto, c++, author ready, needs-ci, dependencies
Commits    2
 - crypto: fix potential null pointer dereference when BIO_meth_new() fails
 - fixup! Use CHECK_NOT_NULL()
Committers 1
 - ndossche <nora.dossche@ugent.be>
PR-URL: https://github.com/nodejs/node/pull/61788
Reviewed-By: James M Snell <jasnell@gmail.com>
Reviewed-By: Anna Henningsen <anna@addaleax.net>
Reviewed-By: Colin Ihrig <cjihrig@gmail.com>
Reviewed-By: Rafael Gonzaga <rafael.nunu@hotmail.com>
------------------------------ Generated metadata ------------------------------
PR-URL: https://github.com/nodejs/node/pull/61788
Reviewed-By: James M Snell <jasnell@gmail.com>
Reviewed-By: Anna Henningsen <anna@addaleax.net>
Reviewed-By: Colin Ihrig <cjihrig@gmail.com>
Reviewed-By: Rafael Gonzaga <rafael.nunu@hotmail.com>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   ℹ  This PR was created on Thu, 12 Feb 2026 14:22:31 GMT
   ✔  Approvals: 4
   ✔  - James M Snell (@jasnell) (TSC): https://github.com/nodejs/node/pull/61788#pullrequestreview-3791947085
   ✔  - Anna Henningsen (@addaleax): https://github.com/nodejs/node/pull/61788#pullrequestreview-3796391536
   ✔  - Colin Ihrig (@cjihrig): https://github.com/nodejs/node/pull/61788#pullrequestreview-3797904251
   ✔  - Rafael Gonzaga (@RafaelGSS) (TSC): https://github.com/nodejs/node/pull/61788#pullrequestreview-3805653064
   ✔  Last GitHub CI successful
   ℹ  Last Full PR CI on 2026-02-14T11:40:38Z: https://ci.nodejs.org/job/node-test-pull-request/71339/
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Bringing origin/main up to date...
From https://github.com/nodejs/node
 * branch                  main       -> FETCH_HEAD
✔  origin/main is now up-to-date
- Downloading patch for 61788
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 * branch                  refs/pull/61788/merge -> FETCH_HEAD
✔  Fetched commits as 74278669357c..6ffa01275372
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[main 9a3b3f7ebd] crypto: fix potential null pointer dereference when BIO_meth_new() fails
 Author: ndossche <nora.dossche@ugent.be>
 Date: Thu Feb 12 15:14:45 2026 +0100
 2 files changed, 10 insertions(+), 7 deletions(-)
[main 7b63570a85] fixup! Use CHECK_NOT_NULL()
 Author: ndossche <nora.dossche@ugent.be>
 Date: Thu Feb 12 17:02:20 2026 +0100
 1 file changed, 8 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-)
   ✔  Patches applied
There are 2 commits in the PR. Attempting autorebase.
(node:387) [DEP0190] DeprecationWarning: Passing args to a child process with shell option true can lead to security vulnerabilities, as the arguments are not escaped, only concatenated.
(Use `node --trace-deprecation ...` to show where the warning was created)
Rebasing (2/4)
Executing: git node land --amend --yes
--------------------------------- New Message ----------------------------------
crypto: fix potential null pointer dereference when BIO_meth_new() fails
This function can return null, which will make the calls to

BIO_meth_set_* trigger a null deref.

Even after fixing this, there is an issue with the

BIOPointer::New(GetMethod()) call in NodeBIO::New because the

New method cannot handle a null pointer despite other code already

guarding for this

(e.g. the NodeBIO::New function already checks bio).

This patch solves the issues by adding more null checks.
PR-URL: #61788

Reviewed-By: James M Snell <jasnell@gmail.com>

Reviewed-By: Anna Henningsen <anna@addaleax.net>

Reviewed-By: Colin Ihrig <cjihrig@gmail.com>

Reviewed-By: Rafael Gonzaga <rafael.nunu@hotmail.com>
[detached HEAD 1e512ff50f] crypto: fix potential null pointer dereference when BIO_meth_new() fails

Author: ndossche <nora.dossche@ugent.be>

Date: Thu Feb 12 15:14:45 2026 +0100

2 files changed, 10 insertions(+), 7 deletions(-)

Rebasing (3/4)

Rebasing (4/4)

Executing: git node land --amend --yes

--------------------------------- New Message ----------------------------------

fixup! Use CHECK_NOT_NULL()
PR-URL: #61788

Reviewed-By: James M Snell <jasnell@gmail.com>

Reviewed-By: Anna Henningsen <anna@addaleax.net>

Reviewed-By: Colin Ihrig <cjihrig@gmail.com>

Reviewed-By: Rafael Gonzaga <rafael.nunu@hotmail.com>
[detached HEAD 578bd7e64c] fixup! Use CHECK_NOT_NULL()

Author: ndossche <nora.dossche@ugent.be>

Date: Thu Feb 12 17:02:20 2026 +0100

1 file changed, 8 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-)

Successfully rebased and updated refs/heads/main.
ℹ  Add commit-queue-squash label to land the PR as one commit, or commit-queue-rebase to land as separate commits.

https://github.com/nodejs/node/actions/runs/22366598200

[nodejs-github-bot]

Landed in 84d1e6c