CVE-2021-39135
HIGHDescription
`@npmcli/arborist`, the library that calculates dependency trees and manages the node_modules folder hierarchy for the npm command line interface, aims to guarantee that package dependency contracts will be met, and the extraction of package contents will always be performed into the expected folder. This is accomplished by extracting package contents into a project's `node_modules` folder. If the `node_modules` folder of the root project or any of its dependencies is somehow replaced with a symbolic link, it could allow Arborist to write package dependencies to any arbitrary location on the file system. Note that symbolic links contained within package artifact contents are filtered out, so another means of creating a `node_modules` symbolic link would have to be employed. 1. A `preinstall` script could replace `node_modules` with a symlink. (This is prevented by using `--ignore-scripts`.) 2. An attacker could supply the target with a git repository, instructing them to run `npm install --ignore-scripts` in the root. This may be successful, because `npm install --ignore-scripts` is typically not capable of making changes outside of the project directory, so it may be deemed safe. This is patched in @npmcli/arborist 2.8.2 which is included in npm v7.20.7 and above. For more information including workarounds please see the referenced GHSA-gmw6-94gg-2rc2.
How to fix
TridentStack Control can deploy fixes like this automatically across your Windows, macOS, and Linux fleet. See how it works
Remediation is compiled from vendor and distribution security advisories. Always confirm against the linked source for your exact version and platform.
CVSS v3 Vector
Exploitability
Impact
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N
Exploit Intelligence
Moderate risk: more likely to be exploited than 43% of all known CVEs.
References
Related Vulnerabilities
Other CWE-61 vulnerabilities, ordered by exploit likelihood. View all
| CVE | Severity | CVSS | EPSS | Exploited | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2024-28189 | Critical | 10.0 | 7.2% | - | - |
| CVE-2024-28185 | Critical | 10.0 | 7.1% | - | - |
| CVE-2019-11249 | Medium | 6.5 | 3.7% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2019-11246 | Medium | 6.5 | 3.6% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2019-16775 | High | 7.7 | 3.3% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2019-11251 | Medium | 4.8 | 2.6% | - | Fix |
Common questions
How do I fix CVE-2021-39135?
Upgrade npm on debian 12 to 7.24.0+ds-2 or later.
Is CVE-2021-39135 being actively exploited?
Not that we know of. CVE-2021-39135 is not in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Its EPSS score of 0.55% is the estimated probability that it will be exploited in the next 30 days. That is higher than 43% of all scored CVEs.
How severe is CVE-2021-39135?
CVE-2021-39135 has a CVSS v3 base score of 8.2, rated high. CVSS rates the technical impact if the vulnerability is exploited, not how likely that is, so weigh it alongside the exploit-prediction score when you decide what to patch first.
What does CVE-2021-39135 affect?
Published advisories record a fix for npm (Debian). Only products with a sourced advisory are listed, so treat this as what we can cite rather than a complete inventory.
Embed a live status badge for CVE-2021-39135
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This product uses NVD data but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS scores courtesy of FIRST.org (https://www.first.org/epss). Source: CISA KEV Catalog. Data as of 2024-11-21.