CVE-2026-116576: systeminformation: Windows command injection in services() through Unicode quotation marks

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2026-116576 is a high (CVSS 7.8) vulnerability in sebhildebrandt systeminformation. EPSS estimates a 0.14% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 3.7% of scored vulnerabilities.

Timeline

1. 26-10-2026
   PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
2. 02-11-2026
   Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

systeminformation is a System and OS information library for node.js. Prior to 5.33.16, services() in lib/processes.js inserts a caller-supplied service name into a PowerShell Get-CimInstance filter after processing it with sanitizeShellString() in lib/util.js. On Windows, the sanitizer removes ASCII quotes but permits Unicode quotation marks that PowerShell accepts as string delimiters, allowing crafted input to terminate the filter and place a PowerShell expression in the command executed by util.powerShell(). The expression runs with the Node.js process account's permissions and may read or change accessible files, alter application data, or disrupt the service. The package does not expose a network service itself, so remote reachability depends on a consuming application forwarding attacker-controlled input to services() or getDynamicData(). This issue is fixed in version 5.33.16.

• CWE-78Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS CommandThe product constructs all or part of an OS command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended OS command before it is sent to a downstream component.