Description
better-npm-audit through 3.11.0, and the 4.0.0-rc.2 prerelease, builds its npm audit command by interpolating the user-supplied --registry option into a command string in src/handlers/handleInput.ts without validation or quoting, then passes that string to child_process.exec() in index.ts, which spawns a shell. A registry value containing shell metacharacters such as a semicolon, pipe, or command substitution executes arbitrary operating system commands with the privileges of the process running the audit.
References7
- github.com/jeemok/better-npm-audit
- github.com/jeemok/better-npm-audit/blob/fd99a0f41ff4342b8a0a6fd…
- github.com/jeemok/better-npm-audit/blob/fd99a0f41ff4342b8a0a6fd…
- github.com/jeemok/better-npm-audit/issues/119
- github.com/jeemok/better-npm-audit/pull/120
- www.vulncheck.com/advisories/better-npm-audit-os-command-inject…
- github.com/jeemok/better-npm-audit/issues/119
Metrics
- CVSS 3.1
-
7.8
HIGH
Score source: CNA
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 4.0
-
8.5
HIGH
Score source: CNA
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X - EPSS — exploit probability
- 0% percentile: 11 · as of 9 November 2026
- CWE
- CWE-78
Could this be exploited in your environment?
A patch closes the known hole. A penetration test shows what an attacker can still reach — with proof.