CVE-2026-23890
Description
A flaw was found in pnpm, a package manager. A remote attacker can exploit a path traversal vulnerability by crafting malicious npm packages. This vulnerability allows the attacker to bypass validation by using bin names starting with an "@" symbol, enabling them to create executable shims or symbolic links (symlinks) outside of the designated node_modules/.bin directory. This could lead to arbitrary code execution or privilege escalation on the affected system.
Statement
This vulnerability is rated Moderate for Red Hat. It affects systems using pnpm where malicious npm packages can exploit a path traversal flaw during bin linking. This allows the creation of executable files or symlinks outside of the node_modules/.bin directory, posing a risk in environments that install untrusted npm packages, such as development or CI/CD pipelines.
Mitigation
To mitigate this issue, ensure that only trusted npm packages are installed when utilizing pnpm. Restrict the use of pnpm for package installation to controlled environments, such as secure CI/CD pipelines, to prevent the introduction of malicious packages. Implement robust package source validation and integrity checks to minimize exposure.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Info alert:Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).
The following CVSS metrics and score provided are preliminary and subject to review.
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 6.5 | N/A | N/A |
| Attack Vector | Network | N/A | N/A |
| Attack Complexity | Low | N/A | N/A |
| Privileges Required | None | N/A | N/A |
| User Interaction | Required | N/A | N/A |
| Scope | Unchanged | N/A | N/A |
| Confidentiality | None | N/A | N/A |
| Integrity Impact | High | N/A | N/A |
| Availability Impact | None | N/A | N/A |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Integrity,Confidentiality,Availability
Technical Impact: Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands
The attacker may be able to create or overwrite critical files that are used to execute code, such as programs or libraries.
Integrity
Technical Impact: Modify Files or Directories
The attacker may be able to overwrite or create critical files, such as programs, libraries, or important data. If the targeted file is used for a security mechanism, then the attacker may be able to bypass that mechanism. For example, appending a new account at the end of a password file may allow an attacker to bypass authentication.
Confidentiality
Technical Impact: Read Files or Directories
The attacker may be able read the contents of unexpected files and expose sensitive data by traversing the file system to access files or directories that are outside of the restricted directory. If the targeted file is used for a security mechanism, then the attacker may be able to bypass that mechanism. For example, by reading a password file, the attacker could conduct brute force password guessing attacks in order to break into an account on the system.
Availability
Technical Impact: DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart
The attacker may be able to overwrite, delete, or corrupt unexpected critical files such as programs, libraries, or important data. This may prevent the product from working at all and in the case of a protection mechanisms such as authentication, it has the potential to lockout every user of the product.
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