BREW-NODE-CVE-2019-16776 (GHSA-X8QC-RRCW-4R46)

Vulnerability from osv_homebrew – Published: 2026-08-13 17:18 – Updated: 2026-10-08 09:27 – Source website
VLAI
Summary
npm symlink reference outside of node_modules
Details

Versions of the npm CLI prior to 6.13.3 are vulnerable to a symlink reference outside of node_modules. 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. Only files accessible by the user running the npm install are affected.

This behavior is still possible through install scripts. This vulnerability bypasses a user using the --ignore-scripts install option.

Recommendation

Upgrade to version 6.13.3 or later.

Severity
7.7 (High)
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N
References
To clipboard 

{
  "affected": [
    {
      "ecosystem_specific": {
        "fix": "bump",
        "range_state": "fixed",
        "resource": "npm",
        "resource_purl": "pkg:npm/npm@11.20.0",
        "upstream_fixed_in": "6.13.3"
      },
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "Homebrew",
        "name": "node",
        "purl": "pkg:brew/node"
      },
      "ranges": [
        {
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "0"
            },
            {
              "fixed": "26.7.0"
            }
          ],
          "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "confidence": "high",
    "source": "matched",
    "strategy": "registry",
    "upstream_evidence": [
      {
        "ecosystem": "npm",
        "key": "pkg:npm/npm@11.20.0",
        "name": "npm",
        "resource": "npm",
        "strategy": "registry",
        "subject_version": "11.20.0"
      }
    ]
  },
  "details": "Versions of the npm CLI prior to 6.13.3 are vulnerable to a symlink reference outside of node_modules. It is possible for packages to create symlinks to files outside of the`node_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\u2019s system when the package is installed. Only files accessible by the user running the `npm install` are affected.  \n\nThis behavior is still possible through install scripts. This vulnerability bypasses a user using the --ignore-scripts install option.\n\n\n## Recommendation\n\nUpgrade to version 6.13.3 or later.",
  "id": "BREW-node-CVE-2019-16776",
  "modified": "2026-10-08T09:27:18Z",
  "published": "2026-08-13T17:18:40Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/npm/cli/security/advisories/GHSA-x8qc-rrcw-4r46"
    },
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-16776"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHEA-2020:0330"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2020:0573"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2020:0579"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2020:0597"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2020:0602"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://blog.npmjs.org/post/189618601100/binary-planting-with-the-npm-cli"
    },
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-x8qc-rrcw-4r46"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/Z36UKPO5F3PQ3Q2POMF5LEKXWAH5RUFP"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://www.npmjs.com/advisories/1436"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujan2020.html"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-01/msg00027.html"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.7.3",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ],
  "summary": "npm symlink reference outside of node_modules",
  "upstream": [
    "GHSA-x8qc-rrcw-4r46",
    "CVE-2019-16776"
  ]
}



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