CVE-2025-24959: zx is a tool for writing better scripts. An attacker with control over environment variable values can inject unintended environment variables into `p...

Description

zx is a tool for writing better scripts. An attacker with control over environment variable values can inject unintended environment variables into `process.env`. This can lead to arbitrary command execution or unexpected behavior in applications that rely on environment variables for security-sensitive operations. Applications that process untrusted input and pass it through `dotenv.stringify` are particularly vulnerable. This issue has been patched in version 8.3.2. Users should immediately upgrade to this version to mitigate the vulnerability. If upgrading is not feasible, users can mitigate the vulnerability by sanitizing user-controlled environment variable values before passing them to `dotenv.stringify`. Specifically, avoid using `"`, `'`, and backticks in values, or enforce strict validation of environment variables before usage.

Metrics

CVSS 4.0

1/10

CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:A/VC:L/VI:L/VA:L/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 Probability

0.18%

7.6th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-94

References

Timeline

Published: Feb 3, 2025
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Deferred

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-24959?

zx is a tool for writing better scripts. An attacker with control over environment variable values can inject unintended environment variables into `process.env`. This can lead to arbitrary command execution or unexpected behavior in applications that rely on environment variables for security-sensitive operations. Applications that process untrusted input and pass it through `dotenv.stringify` are particularly vulnerable. This issue has been patched in version 8.3.2. Users should immediately upgrade to this version to mitigate the vulnerability. If upgrading is not feasible, users can mitigate the vulnerability by sanitizing user-controlled environment variable values before passing them to `dotenv.stringify`. Specifically, avoid using `"`, `'`, and backticks in values, or enforce strict validation of environment variables before usage.

How severe is CVE-2025-24959?

CVE-2025-24959 has a CVSS score of 1/10 (LOW severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.18% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2025-24959?

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.