GHSA-J3W7-9QC3-G96P
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2025-10-23 16:01 – Updated: 2025-10-23 20:37Impact
Development mode only. Kottster contains a pre-authentication remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability when running in development mode.
The vulnerability combines two issues:
1. The initApp action can be called repeatedly without checking if the app is already initialized, allowing attackers to create a new root admin account and obtain a JWT token
2. The installPackagesForDataSource action uses unescaped command arguments, enabling command injection
An attacker with access to a locally running development instance can chain these vulnerabilities to:
- Reinitialize the application and receive a JWT token for a new root account
- Use this token to authenticate
- Execute arbitrary system commands through installPackagesForDataSource
Production deployments were never affected.
Patches
Fixed in v3.3.2.
Specifically, @kottster/server v3.3.2 and @kottster/cli v3.3.2 address this vulnerability.
We recommend developers using earlier versions of @kottster/server and @kottster/cli update all the core packages to latest release:
npm install @kottster/common@latest @kottster/cli@latest @kottster/server@latest @kottster/react@latest
Workarounds
- Do not expose development servers to public networks or untrusted users
- Use production mode for any deployment accessible from outside trusted environments
Credit
We sincerely thank Jeongwon Jo (@P0cas) from RedAlert for discovering and responsibly disclosing this vulnerability.
{
"affected": [
{
"package": {
"ecosystem": "npm",
"name": "@kottster/server"
},
"ranges": [
{
"events": [
{
"introduced": "3.2.0"
},
{
"fixed": "3.3.2"
}
],
"type": "ECOSYSTEM"
}
]
}
],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2025-62713"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-284",
"CWE-78"
],
"github_reviewed": true,
"github_reviewed_at": "2025-10-23T16:01:35Z",
"nvd_published_at": "2025-10-23T17:15:40Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "### Impact\n\n**Development mode only**. Kottster contains a pre-authentication remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability when running in development mode.\n\nThe vulnerability combines two issues:\n1. The `initApp` action can be called repeatedly without checking if the app is already initialized, allowing attackers to create a new root admin account and obtain a JWT token\n2. The `installPackagesForDataSource` action uses unescaped command arguments, enabling command injection\n\nAn attacker with access to a locally running development instance can chain these vulnerabilities to:\n- Reinitialize the application and receive a JWT token for a new root account\n- Use this token to authenticate\n- Execute arbitrary system commands through `installPackagesForDataSource`\n\n**Production deployments were never affected.**\n\n### Patches\n\nFixed in [v3.3.2](https://github.com/kottster/kottster/releases/tag/v3.3.2).\n\nSpecifically, `@kottster/server` [v3.3.2](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@kottster/server/v/3.3.2) and `@kottster/cli` [v3.3.2](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@kottster/cli/v/3.3.2) address this vulnerability.\n\nWe recommend developers using earlier versions of `@kottster/server` and `@kottster/cli` update all the core packages to latest release:\n\n```\nnpm install @kottster/common@latest @kottster/cli@latest @kottster/server@latest @kottster/react@latest\n```\n\n### Workarounds\n\n- Do not expose development servers to public networks or untrusted users\n- Use production mode for any deployment accessible from outside trusted environments\n\n### Credit\n\nWe sincerely thank Jeongwon Jo ([@P0cas](https://github.com/P0cas)) from **RedAlert** for discovering and responsibly disclosing this vulnerability.",
"id": "GHSA-j3w7-9qc3-g96p",
"modified": "2025-10-23T20:37:07Z",
"published": "2025-10-23T16:01:35Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://github.com/kottster/kottster/security/advisories/GHSA-j3w7-9qc3-g96p"
},
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-62713"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://github.com/kottster/kottster/commit/0a7d24922a23aac98372155348787670937eef89"
},
{
"type": "PACKAGE",
"url": "https://github.com/kottster/kottster"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U",
"type": "CVSS_V4"
}
],
"summary": "Kottster app reinitialization can be re-triggered allowing command injection in development mode"
}
Sightings
| Author | Source | Type | Date |
|---|
Nomenclature
- Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
- Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
- Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
- Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
- Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
- Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
- Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
- Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.