node crypto ai_generated true

Error: error:0308010C:digital envelope routines::unsupported

ID: node/node-crypto-unsupported

Also available as: JSON · Markdown
90%Fix Rate
93%Confidence
50Evidence
2023-01-01First Seen

Version Compatibility

VersionStatusIntroducedDeprecatedNotes
20 active — — —

Root Cause

OpenSSL 3.0 in Node.js 17+ removed support for legacy crypto algorithms (like MD4, old hash functions). Code or dependencies using these algorithms fail.

generic

Workarounds

  1. 92% success Update the dependency that uses the legacy algorithm to a newer version 
    Identify which package triggers the error from the stack trace, then npm update or npm install <package>@latest

    Sources: https://nodejs.org/api/crypto.html

  2. 88% success Use --openssl-legacy-provider as a temporary bridge while upgrading dependencies 
    NODE_OPTIONS=--openssl-legacy-provider node app.js — use only as a short-term workaround

    Sources: https://nodejs.org/api/cli.html#--openssl-legacy-provider

Dead Ends

Common approaches that don't work:

  1. Setting NODE_OPTIONS=--openssl-legacy-provider permanently 60% fail

    This is a temporary workaround that re-enables insecure algorithms; it will eventually stop working in future Node.js versions and masks security vulnerabilities

  2. Downgrading to Node.js 16 LTS 70% fail

    Node.js 16 is end-of-life and no longer receives security patches; this trades one problem for a worse one

Error Chain

Leads to:
Frequently confused with: