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CVE-2021-39134 Detail

Description

`@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, in part, accomplished by resolving dependency specifiers defined in `package.json` manifests for dependencies with a specific name, and nesting folders to resolve conflicting dependencies. When multiple dependencies differ only in the case of their name, Arborist's internal data structure saw them as separate items that could coexist within the same level in the `node_modules` hierarchy. However, on case-insensitive file systems (such as macOS and Windows), this is not the case. Combined with a symlink dependency such as `file:/some/path`, this allowed an attacker to create a situation in which arbitrary contents could be written to any location on the filesystem. For example, a package `pwn-a` could define a dependency in their `package.json` file such as `"foo": "file:/some/path"`. Another package, `pwn-b` could define a dependency such as `FOO: "file:foo.tgz"`. On case-insensitive file systems, if `pwn-a` was installed, and then `pwn-b` was installed afterwards, the contents of `foo.tgz` would be written to `/some/path`, and any existing contents of `/some/path` would be removed. Anyone using npm v7.20.6 or earlier on a case-insensitive filesystem is potentially affected. This is patched in @npmcli/arborist 2.8.2 which is included in npm v7.20.7 and above.


Severity



CVSS 4.0 Severity and Metrics:

NIST CVSS score
NIST: NVD
N/A
NVD assessment not yet provided.


NVD Analysts use publicly available information to associate vector strings and CVSS scores. We also display any CVSS information provided within the CVE List from the CNA.

Note: NVD Analysts have not published a CVSS score for this CVE at this time. NVD Analysts use publicly available information at the time of analysis to associate CVSS vector strings.

References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools

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Hyperlink Resource
https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-389290.pdf Patch  Third Party Advisory 
https://github.com/npm/arborist/security/advisories/GHSA-2h3h-q99f-3fhc Mitigation  Third Party Advisory 
https://www.npmjs.com/package/%40npmcli/arborist
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuoct2021.html Patch  Third Party Advisory 

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-ID CWE Name Source
CWE-178 Improper Handling of Case Sensitivity cwe source acceptance level NIST  
CWE-61 UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following Contributor acceptance level GitHub, Inc.  

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Change History

9 change records found show changes

Quick Info

CVE Dictionary Entry:
CVE-2021-39134
NVD Published Date:
08/31/2021
NVD Last Modified:
11/06/2023
Source:
GitHub, Inc.