UBUNTU-CVE-2019-16776 (CVE-2019-16776)

Vulnerability from osv_ubuntu – Published: 2019-12-13 01:15 – Updated: 2026-05-20 14:51 – Source website
VLAI
Details

Versions of the npm CLI prior to 6.13.3 are vulnerable to an Arbitrary File Write. It fails to prevent access to folders outside of the intended node_modules folder through the bin field. A properly constructed entry in the package.json bin field would allow a package publisher to modify and/or gain access to arbitrary files on a user's system when the package is installed. This behavior is still possible through install scripts. This vulnerability bypasses a user using the --ignore-scripts install option.

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

{
  "affected": [
    {
      "ecosystem_specific": {
        "binaries": [
          {
            "binary_name": "npm",
            "binary_version": "1.3.10~dfsg-1"
          }
        ]
      },
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "Ubuntu:14.04:LTS",
        "name": "npm",
        "purl": "pkg:deb/ubuntu/npm@1.3.10~dfsg-1?arch=source\u0026distro=trusty"
      },
      "ranges": [
        {
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "0"
            }
          ],
          "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
        }
      ],
      "versions": [
        "1.2.18~dfsg-3",
        "1.3.10~dfsg-1"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ecosystem_specific": {
        "binaries": [
          {
            "binary_name": "npm",
            "binary_version": "3.5.2-0ubuntu4.1.16.04.1~esm1"
          }
        ]
      },
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS",
        "name": "npm",
        "purl": "pkg:deb/ubuntu/npm@3.5.2-0ubuntu4.1.16.04.1~esm1?arch=source\u0026distro=esm-apps/xenial"
      },
      "ranges": [
        {
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "0"
            }
          ],
          "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
        }
      ],
      "versions": [
        "1.4.21+ds-2",
        "3.5.2-0ubuntu4",
        "3.5.2-0ubuntu4.1.16.04.1~esm1"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ecosystem_specific": {
        "binaries": [
          {
            "binary_name": "npm",
            "binary_version": "3.5.2-0ubuntu4.1.18.04.1~esm1"
          }
        ]
      },
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS",
        "name": "npm",
        "purl": "pkg:deb/ubuntu/npm@3.5.2-0ubuntu4.1.18.04.1~esm1?arch=source\u0026distro=esm-apps/bionic"
      },
      "ranges": [
        {
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "0"
            }
          ],
          "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
        }
      ],
      "versions": [
        "3.5.2-0ubuntu4",
        "3.5.2-0ubuntu4.1.18.04.1~esm1"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ecosystem_specific": {
        "binaries": [
          {
            "binary_name": "npm",
            "binary_version": "6.14.4+ds-1ubuntu2"
          }
        ]
      },
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "Ubuntu:20.04:LTS",
        "name": "npm",
        "purl": "pkg:deb/ubuntu/npm@6.14.4+ds-1ubuntu2?arch=source\u0026distro=focal"
      },
      "ranges": [
        {
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "0"
            }
          ],
          "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
        }
      ],
      "versions": [
        "5.8.0+ds6-4",
        "6.14.4+ds-1ubuntu2"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ecosystem_specific": {
        "binaries": [
          {
            "binary_name": "npm",
            "binary_version": "8.5.1~ds-1"
          }
        ]
      },
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "Ubuntu:22.04:LTS",
        "name": "npm",
        "purl": "pkg:deb/ubuntu/npm@8.5.1~ds-1?arch=source\u0026distro=jammy"
      },
      "ranges": [
        {
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "0"
            }
          ],
          "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
        }
      ],
      "versions": [
        "7.5.2+ds-2",
        "7.24.2+ds-1",
        "7.24.2+ds-2",
        "8.3.0~ds-1",
        "8.3.0~ds-2",
        "8.3.2~ds-1",
        "8.5.0~ds-1",
        "8.5.1~ds-1"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ecosystem_specific": {
        "binaries": [
          {
            "binary_name": "npm",
            "binary_version": "9.2.0~ds1-2"
          }
        ]
      },
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "Ubuntu:24.04:LTS",
        "name": "npm",
        "purl": "pkg:deb/ubuntu/npm@9.2.0~ds1-2?arch=source\u0026distro=noble"
      },
      "ranges": [
        {
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "0"
            }
          ],
          "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
        }
      ],
      "versions": [
        "9.2.0~ds1-1",
        "9.2.0~ds1-2"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ecosystem_specific": {
        "binaries": [
          {
            "binary_name": "npm",
            "binary_version": "9.2.0~ds1-3"
          }
        ]
      },
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "Ubuntu:25.10",
        "name": "npm",
        "purl": "pkg:deb/ubuntu/npm@9.2.0~ds1-3?arch=source\u0026distro=questing"
      },
      "ranges": [
        {
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "0"
            }
          ],
          "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
        }
      ],
      "versions": [
        "9.2.0~ds1-3"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ecosystem_specific": {
        "binaries": [
          {
            "binary_name": "npm",
            "binary_version": "9.2.0~ds3-1"
          }
        ]
      },
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "Ubuntu:26.04:LTS",
        "name": "npm",
        "purl": "pkg:deb/ubuntu/npm@9.2.0~ds3-1?arch=source\u0026distro=resolute"
      },
      "ranges": [
        {
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "0"
            }
          ],
          "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
        }
      ],
      "versions": [
        "9.2.0~ds1-3",
        "9.2.0~ds2-2",
        "9.2.0~ds3-1"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "aliases": [],
  "details": "Versions of the npm CLI prior to 6.13.3 are vulnerable to an Arbitrary File Write. It fails to prevent access to folders outside of the intended node_modules folder through the bin field. A properly constructed entry in the package.json bin field would allow a package publisher to modify and/or gain access to arbitrary files on a user\u0027s system when the package is installed. This behavior is still possible through install scripts. This vulnerability bypasses a user using the --ignore-scripts install option.",
  "id": "UBUNTU-CVE-2019-16776",
  "modified": "2026-05-20T14:51:35Z",
  "published": "2019-12-13T01:15:00Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "REPORT",
      "url": "https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2019-16776"
    },
    {
      "type": "REPORT",
      "url": "https://github.com/npm/cli/security/advisories/GHSA-x8qc-rrcw-4r46"
    },
    {
      "type": "REPORT",
      "url": "https://blog.npmjs.org/post/189618601100/binary-planting-with-the-npm-cli"
    },
    {
      "type": "REPORT",
      "url": "https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-16776"
    }
  ],
  "related": [],
  "schema_version": "1.7.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    },
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    },
    {
      "score": "medium",
      "type": "Ubuntu"
    }
  ],
  "upstream": [
    "CVE-2019-16776"
  ]
}



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