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CVE-2021-43616

CRITICALCVSS 9.8/10EPSS 2.53%

Last modified

CVE-2021-43616 is a critical-severity vulnerability rated 9.8/10 on the CVSS scale. The npm ci command in npm 7.x and 8.x through 8.1.3 proceeds with an installation even if dependency information in package-lock.json differs from package.json. This behavior is inconsistent with the documentation, and makes it easier for attackers to install malware that was supposed to have been blocked by an exact version match requirement in package-lock.json. EPSS estimates a 2.53% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

The npm ci command in npm 7.x and 8.x through 8.1.3 proceeds with an installation even if dependency information in package-lock.json differs from package.json. This behavior is inconsistent with the documentation, and makes it easier for attackers to install malware that was supposed to have been blocked by an exact version match requirement in package-lock.json. NOTE: The npm team believes this is not a vulnerability. It would require someone to socially engineer package.json which has different dependencies than package-lock.json. That user would have to have file system or write access to change dependencies. The npm team states preventing malicious actors from socially engineering or gaining file system access is outside the scope of the npm CLI.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1
9.8/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS Probability
2.53%

82.9th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

VendorProductVersions
NpmjsNpm>= 7.0.0, <= 7.24.2
NpmjsNpm>= 8.0.0, <= 8.1.3
NetappNext Generation Application Programming InterfaceAll versions
FedoraprojectFedora35

References

Timeline

Published
Last Modified
Status
Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2021-43616?
The npm ci command in npm 7.x and 8.x through 8.1.3 proceeds with an installation even if dependency information in package-lock.json differs from package.json. This behavior is inconsistent with the documentation, and makes it easier for attackers to install malware that was supposed to have been blocked by an exact version match requirement in package-lock.json. NOTE: The npm team believes this is not a vulnerability. It would require someone to socially engineer package.json which has different dependencies than package-lock.json. That user would have to have file system or write access to change dependencies. The npm team states preventing malicious actors from socially engineering or gaining file system access is outside the scope of the npm CLI.
How severe is CVE-2021-43616?
CVE-2021-43616 has a CVSS score of 9.8/10 (CRITICAL severity). The EPSS model estimates a 2.53% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How do I fix CVE-2021-43616?
Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

Are you affected by CVE-2021-43616?

Run a free Strix scan to check your systems for this vulnerability.

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Source: NVD / NIST