# CVE-2021-21388: Command Injection Vulnerability in systeminformation


- **Severity:** High 8.9 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 29 Apr 2021
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-jff2-qjw8-5476

## What is CVE-2021-21388?

CVE-2021-21388 is a high-severity vulnerability in sebhildebrandt systeminformation, published on 29 Apr 2021. 

### Official description

systeminformation is an open source system and OS information library for node.js. A command injection vulnerability has been discovered in versions of systeminformation prior to 5.6.4. The issue has been fixed with a parameter check on user input. Please upgrade to version >= 5.6.4. If you cannot upgrade, be sure to check or sanitize service parameters that are passed to si.inetLatency(), si.inetChecksite(), si.services(), si.processLoad() and other commands. Only allow strings, reject any arrays. String sanitation works as expected.

Weakness: CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command), CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-21388?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including systeminformation. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `systeminformation` | npm | All versions | 5.6.4 |
| `systeminformation` | npm | All versions | 5.6.4 |

Products: Systeminformation Systeminformation.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-21388?

Upgrade systeminformation to 5.6.4 or later.

## Is CVE-2021-21388 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-21388 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in sebhildebrandt systeminformation

- [CVE-2023-42810](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-42810/): systeminformation SSID Command Injection Vulnerability (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-26318](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-26318/): systeminformation has Command Injection via Unsanitized `locate` Output in `versions()` (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2020-7752](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-7752/): Command Injection (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2026-50289](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-50289/): systeminformation: OS command injection in networkInterfaces() via interfaces(5) source-directive path on Linux (high 8.7)
- [CVE-2026-26280](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-26280/): Systeminformation has a Command Injection via unsanitized interface parameter in wifi.js retry path (high 8.4)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-21388 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-21388 is a high-severity vulnerability in sebhildebrandt systeminformation, published on 29 Apr 2021. 
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-21388 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- systeminformation (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 5.6.4
- systeminformation (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 5.6.4

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-21388/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-21388/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-21388
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-21388
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-21388

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-21388/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.