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Arbitrary File Write in npm

High severity GitHub Reviewed Published Dec 12, 2019 in npm/cli • Updated Feb 1, 2023

Package

npm npm (npm)

Affected versions

< 6.13.3

Patched versions

6.13.3

Description

Versions of the npm CLI prior to 6.13.3 are vulnerable to an Arbitrary File Write. It fails to prevent access to folders outside of the intended node_modules folder through the bin field. A properly constructed entry in the package.json bin field would allow a package publisher to create files on a user's system when the package is installed. It is only possible to affect files that the user running npm install has access to and it is not possible to over write files that already exist on disk.

This behavior is still possible through install scripts. This vulnerability bypasses a user using the --ignore-scripts install option.

Recommendation

Upgrade to version 6.13.3 or later.

References

@andreeleuterio andreeleuterio published to npm/cli Dec 12, 2019
Published by the National Vulnerability Database Dec 13, 2019
Published to the GitHub Advisory Database Dec 13, 2019
Reviewed Jun 17, 2020
Last updated Feb 1, 2023

Severity

High

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
High
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
Required
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
None

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector: More severe the more the remote (logically and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerability.
Attack complexity: More severe for the least complex attacks.
Privileges required: More severe if no privileges are required.
User interaction: More severe when no user interaction is required.
Scope: More severe when a scope change occurs, e.g. one vulnerable component impacts resources in components beyond its security scope.
Confidentiality: More severe when loss of data confidentiality is highest, measuring the level of data access available to an unauthorized user.
Integrity: More severe when loss of data integrity is the highest, measuring the consequence of data modification possible by an unauthorized user.
Availability: More severe when the loss of impacted component availability is highest.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N

EPSS score

0.183%
(57th percentile)

Weaknesses

CVE ID

CVE-2019-16775

GHSA ID

GHSA-m6cx-g6qm-p2cx

Source code

Credits

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