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npm Vulnerable to Global node_modules Binary Overwrite

High severity GitHub Reviewed Published Dec 12, 2019 in npm/cli • Updated Jan 29, 2023

Package

npm npm (npm)

Affected versions

< 6.13.4

Patched versions

6.13.4

Description

Versions of the npm CLI prior to 6.13.4 are vulnerable to a Global node_modules Binary Overwrite. It fails to prevent existing globally-installed binaries to be overwritten by other package installations.

For example, if a package was installed globally and created a serve binary, any subsequent installs of packages that also create a serve binary would overwrite the first binary. This will not overwrite system binaries but only binaries put into the global node_modules directory.

This behavior is still allowed in local installations and also through install scripts. This vulnerability bypasses a user using the --ignore-scripts install option.

Recommendation

Upgrade to version 6.13.4 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 16, 2020
Last updated Jan 29, 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

0.189%
(57th percentile)

Weaknesses

CVE ID

CVE-2019-16777

GHSA ID

GHSA-4328-8hgf-7wjr

Source code

Credits

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