CVE-2019-16777
Description
Versions of the npm CLI prior to 6.13.4 are vulnerable to an Arbitrary File Overwrite. It fails to prevent existing globally-installed binaries to be overwritten by other package installations. For example, if a package was installed globally and created a serve binary, any subsequent installs of packages that also create a serve binary would overwrite the previous serve binary. This behavior is still allowed in local installations and also through install scripts. This vulnerability bypasses a user using the --ignore-scripts install option.
Predictions
Heuristic predictions, AS-IS, for prioritization only.
Mitigations
No mitigations published for this CVE yet.
The vendor-content worker queues fetches as references arrive (check back in a few minutes). Or — if you've already worked around this in production — publish your fix to the community-verified tier.
✚ Propose a mitigation on Community → Mitigations published via the community go through AI scoring + 2 human reviewers + 7-day silent objection window before landing here withsource_tier=community-verified.
OS impact
SUSE Affected 1 release
| Version | Status | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| — | Affected | — |
Arch Fixed 1 release
| Version | Status | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| — | Fixed | 6.13.4-1 |
Debian Fixed 5 releases
| Version | Status | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| trixie | Fixed | 6.13.4+ds-2 |
| sid | Fixed | 6.13.4+ds-2 |
| forky | Fixed | 6.13.4+ds-2 |
| bullseye | Fixed | 6.13.4+ds-2 |
| bookworm | Fixed | 6.13.4+ds-2 |
Red Hat Fixed 1 release
| Version | Status | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Fixed | — |
Rocky Linux Fixed 1 release
| Version | Status | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Fixed | — |
Package impact
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| npm | npm | <6.13.4 | 6.13.4 |
References
- https://www.suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2019-16777.html
- https://github.com/npm/cli/security/advisories/GHSA-4328-8hgf-7wjr
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-16777
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHEA-2020:0330
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2020:0573
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2020:0579
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2020:0597
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2020:0602
- https://blog.npmjs.org/post/189618601100/binary-planting-with-the-npm-cli
- https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-4328-8hgf-7wjr
- https://github.com/npm/cli
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/Z36UKPO5F3PQ3Q2POMF5LEKXWAH5RUFP
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202003-48
- https://www.npmjs.com/advisories/1437
- https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujan2020.html
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-01/msg00027.html
- https://errata.rockylinux.org/RLSA-2020:0579
- https://errata.rockylinux.org/RLEA-2020:0330
- https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2019-16777
- https://errata.almalinux.org/8/ALEA-2020-0330.html
- https://errata.almalinux.org/8/ALSA-2020-0579.html
Community-verified mitigations for this CVE will appear above when contributors publish them.
Verify integrity in audit chain (admin only). AS-IS.