CVE-2019-16775: Unauthorized File Access in npm CLI before before version 6.13.3
Modified
AliasesUBUNTU-CVE-2019-16775DEBIAN-CVE-2019-16775CGA-4c3h-x7gx-rgjxCGA-862f-m66h-4qxwCGA-mq43-5fgx-h9jrCGA-w4g9-h95w-5cpxGHSA-m6cx-g6qm-p2cxCGA-25xf-xqxv-3fhrCGA-2g8q-qjhf-365fCGA-2hq5-q7xq-gmmrCGA-2r3c-xv6j-f2m2CGA-2rc6-33xf-wf9cCGA-2wx6-wpx9-9m6cCGA-2xgh-p6h2-83pxCGA-2xjg-wg2m-32qrCGA-329j-ww9q-r54vCGA-32h8-68p3-gpp5CGA-34x9-55wh-hjx5CGA-3h7w-r898-pgrxCGA-3q48-wjvm-hf5pCGA-3qjm-cx2q-23fpCGA-3whr-58h6-57wfCGA-433r-gx48-53f5CGA-4767-6xrx-v6v9CGA-47hv-9mvm-c7pvCGA-48pc-w2mh-9gg8CGA-4965-hg92-9cw7CGA-49fm-vh64-vw49CGA-4g5h-j229-66rqCGA-4g6w-cxrh-5qh9CGA-4wqv-hgw4-4cmjCGA-4wvp-x3pr-6gprCGA-52pq-whcf-82grCGA-5368-6m87-5p96CGA-5446-frmx-g2m4CGA-557j-26x6-qpq8CGA-57w2-5gpw-gjqpCGA-5c5g-rgw5-fv7fCGA-5j58-3xcp-c299CGA-5qjh-v46c-wmmwCGA-5vwp-46m2-mpg8CGA-638q-q88g-5m74CGA-65jx-9928-2ff4CGA-66m2-237v-q47wCGA-6gxj-222c-9hp6CGA-6hjv-8cm8-438fCGA-6j3m-pf88-cxr3CGA-6jrv-6rh8-2fw4CGA-6mjh-cxv6-9hrfCGA-6q44-3jgc-99f4CGA-6rjh-cpxx-xrwqCGA-74xg-cm3r-p27wCGA-75x2-98fv-35qpCGA-7m7x-pph9-xc9rCGA-83hx-r8r3-c8wgCGA-88wr-xf54-5fq7CGA-8cfp-qh34-f257CGA-8f4f-cpq7-jg4jCGA-8jr2-9pqx-qgjqCGA-8v52-phx5-9xh3CGA-94m5-7cpp-77xhCGA-96g5-hvcg-3qfmCGA-978x-52j2-r33jCGA-9c79-rmx6-j2h8CGA-9p63-3x4m-2q9wCGA-9pwc-hm5f-6fxqCGA-9v66-8739-x9wfCGA-c48h-hj9m-x6wqCGA-c6h7-vxf8-rrf5CGA-c7jv-hcrr-3c35CGA-cc92-mc2h-r5f6CGA-ccg8-w5c9-pvg3CGA-cfhv-gvmx-5wmgCGA-cj3c-c736-mg5mCGA-cm8w-fxq6-6f5vCGA-cpjh-6xvr-vrrgCGA-cr4g-jh86-wrwmCGA-f2fw-3rh7-8r7fCGA-f9v3-c78r-xxjhCGA-fg95-4hp3-h4r6CGA-fh88-828q-qv66CGA-fm67-x5c5-q5p9CGA-fq87-4fh9-2pqrCGA-fr2m-m7pf-vwhgCGA-g2hw-xgww-v6g2CGA-g55m-jx35-jj98CGA-g7ch-7fpq-v43cCGA-gfqr-7wqx-3ggvCGA-gpx7-g978-2xqqCGA-h7c9-jmgv-hf6jCGA-hfcr-w768-h9grCGA-hgx2-gpc4-c5ccCGA-hhq2-f7x9-ff89CGA-j4p8-jqh7-3mfpCGA-jcqx-qcgf-68x2CGA-jfvc-mchv-vr52CGA-jj88-7g27-fj7rCGA-jjrr-q2f8-mvh3CGA-jm97-h8jq-97h7CGA-m26f-686x-v265CGA-m594-54x4-7w65CGA-m5h2-27cj-6r6wCGA-m94h-fr4h-f4mfCGA-m9g2-jpww-p589CGA-mp6x-256g-7qcwCGA-mvhp-vv88-v99rCGA-mw6x-q77v-wv6mCGA-mwj6-5x9r-xmxmCGA-mwx2-qw99-5592CGA-mxmm-935q-ggchCGA-p848-7g49-gj4vCGA-p9fc-8q8v-2hjvCGA-phmv-j2r3-qg6cCGA-pmf3-g8cp-f7vvCGA-pqq5-5jxf-xm9hCGA-pr4h-979q-pxm5CGA-prjf-cmcc-vp2cCGA-wq59-p83v-c4xcCGA-ww4p-6mqf-59m4CGA-pwhw-8v5v-cvm8CGA-q7x4-4cpx-m237CGA-qj28-xx48-q5vcCGA-qmx4-8h5x-6338CGA-qvrm-65pp-r6p8CGA-r64q-qqr8-mw5jCGA-r7f9-9fcg-q8ccCGA-rmv4-jh59-r5c7CGA-rq9h-mvjm-q8ghCGA-rwq4-ph4w-v8hgCGA-rx9v-fvvh-4w6gCGA-v2j5-73v6-p72vCGA-v6q7-5796-rf9hCGA-v84f-gj2j-hvpfCGA-v998-282p-jf52CGA-v9mx-ph68-v393CGA-vfxj-qcf7-r665CGA-vh8p-wv47-hvcvCGA-vhh8-3q65-rw7hCGA-vq62-38v6-hr3qCGA-w2f9-5wqv-vp2hCGA-w2hv-f9jg-2r52CGA-w6mx-cc9x-hwr5CGA-w6xj-cgxq-rpc3CGA-wjrf-4944-4xf7CGA-wq34-j622-p9xjCGA-x57q-5hc8-356vCGA-x645-95wh-vxphCGA-x8vx-6px3-pj3gCGA-xg5j-9pmj-rxjgCGA-xgc4-453j-9gh2CGA-xhxp-w3fg-h82jCGA-xjg3-p79f-w37xCGA-xmj7-wg8w-r28fCGA-xxgg-qfrw-m558CGA-xxxp-9vrh-9qc5CGA-7m4x-m43h-xv2rCGA-fhhf-prpx-qfp7CGA-jx46-fw6r-xcf8CGA-cm4q-jjxx-39f7CGA-7h4r-fjq8-3wxwCGA-95rr-82rc-c8rxCGA-m5mc-22mf-hhqxCGA-rxvj-wg7w-gm8h
Published 13-12-2019Last modified 05-08-2024
Vulnerability summary
CVE-2019-16775 is a high (CVSS 7.7) UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following vulnerability in fedoraproject fedora. EPSS estimates a 3.33% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 88.6% of scored vulnerabilities.
Priority
Routine
Not severe (CVSS 7.7, network access); no exploitation reported by the 5 checked sources
Source freshness unavailable
How is this decided?CVSS score
7.7/10
010
High · v3.1 (CVE.org)EPSS score
3.33%
0%100%
Low · 0.00 pp in 30 daysKEVNot listedNot listed by any tracked catalog.
RansomwareNot flaggedNo ransomware use recorded.
Public exploits0No public exploits recorded
Advisory lineage
Upstream 0 · Downstream 13 · Related 15MGASA-2020-0372OPENSUSE-SU-2020:0059-1RHEA-2020:0330RHSA-2020:0573RHSA-2020:0579RHSA-2020:0597RHSA-2020:0602RHSA-2020:2625SUSE-SU-2020:0043-1SUSE-SU-2020:0063-1SUSE-SU-2020:0104-1SUSE-SU-2020:0247-1SUSE-SU-2020:0429-1CGA-2GMQ-RJMJ-3FQGCGA-2JRR-WFJP-8XH7CGA-688W-X2H8-88QQCGA-8W94-PP46-7QVQCGA-98VH-V44P-JCG7CGA-9C47-RQW6-G736CGA-QMX7-MQCQ-3J68CGA-R7X8-7XC9-5M6PCGA-VW3X-PF52-29HF
Timeline
- 13-12-2019PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
- 05-08-2024Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.
Description
Versions of the npm CLI prior to 6.13.3 are vulnerable to an Arbitrary File Write. It is possible for packages to create symlinks to files outside of thenode_modules folder through the bin field upon installation. A properly constructed entry in the package.json bin field would allow a package publisher to create a symlink pointing to arbitrary files on a user's system when the package is installed. This behavior is still possible through install scripts. This vulnerability bypasses a user using the --ignore-scripts install option.
CVSS metrics
8 scores · 7 sources · 2 versionsHigh 7.7Preferred score · CVE.org (CNA)
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:NSources7 sources · 6.5–7.7
- NVDNIST6.5MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:NDiffers
- OSV · UbuntuEcosystem advisory · calculated6.5MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:NDiffers
- OSV · DebianEcosystem advisory · calculated6.5MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:NDiffers
- OSV · WolfiEcosystem advisory · calculated6.5MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:NDiffers
- OSV · NpmEcosystem advisory · calculated7.7HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N
- OSV · ChainguardEcosystem advisory · calculated6.5MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:NDiffers
Medium 4.0Preferred score · NVD (NIST)
AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:N/I:P/A:NSourcesSingle source
EPSS trend
Probability
3.33%
Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days
Percentile
89%
Versus all other CVEs
30-day change
No change 0.00 pp
From 3.33% on 04-10-2026
04-10-202603-11-2026
Known exploited
Compare KEV catalogs
CISA KEVNot in the CISA KEV catalog.
ENISA CNWNot in the ENISA CNW catalog.
CIRCLNot in the CIRCL catalog.
Public exploits
0 foundNo public exploits indexed.
Weaknesses
CWE · root cause- CWE-61UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) FollowingThe product, when opening a file or directory, does not sufficiently account for when the file is a symbolic link that resolves to a target outside of the intended control sphere. This could allow an attacker to cause the product to operate on unauthorized files.
- CWE-59Improper Link Resolution Before File AccessThe product attempts to access a file based on the filename, but it does not properly prevent that filename from identifying a link or shortcut that resolves to an unintended resource.
Affected systems
Version check
Known conditions: network-reachable, low-privilege account, user interaction (CVSS vector). Other conditions: not stated in public data.
Chainguard74 products
- code-serverAll versions (No fix recorded)
- code-server-compatAll versions (No fix recorded)
- commercial-gitlab-rails-ee-assets-19.1All versions (No fix recorded)
- commercial-gitlab-rails-ee-assets-19.2All versions (No fix recorded)
- commercial-gitlab-rails-ee-assets-19.3All versions (No fix recorded)
Npm2 products
- cli≥ < 6.13.3, < 6.13.3
- npm< 6.13.3
Redhat2 products
Wolfi2 products
- code-serverAll versions (No fix recorded)
- code-server-compatAll versions (No fix recorded)
Debian1 product
- npm< 6.13.4+ds-2
Fedoraproject1 product
- fedoraEOL31
Npmjs1 product
- npm< 6.13.3
Opensuse1 product
- leapEOL15.1
Oracle1 product
- graalvmEOL19.3.0.2 | 20.3.3 | 21.2.2
Ubuntu1 product
- npmAll versions (No fix recorded)
10 vendors · 86 products
References
19 links- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-01/msg00027.htmlVendor AdvisoryX Refsource SUSEMailing ListThird Party AdvisoryAdvisoryWEB
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHEA-2020:0330Vendor AdvisoryX Refsource REDHATThird Party AdvisoryAdvisoryWEB
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2020:0573Vendor AdvisoryX Refsource REDHATThird Party AdvisoryAdvisoryWEB
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2020:0579Vendor AdvisoryX Refsource REDHATThird Party AdvisoryAdvisoryWEB
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2020:0597Vendor AdvisoryX Refsource REDHATThird Party AdvisoryAdvisoryWEB
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2020:0602Vendor AdvisoryX Refsource REDHATThird Party AdvisoryAdvisoryWEB
- github.com/npm/cli/security/advisories/GHSA-m6cx-g6qm-p2cxX Refsource CONFIRMThird Party AdvisoryREPORTAdvisoryWEB
Show all 19 references
- blog.npmjs.org/post/189618601100/binary-planting-with-the-npm-cliX Refsource MISCThird Party AdvisoryREPORTAdvisoryWEB
- github.com/npm/cliPACKAGE