# CVE-2021-23348: Arbitrary Command Injection

> Attackers can execute arbitrary commands via unsanitized input in the killProcess function of the portprocesses library.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L/E:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 31 Mar 2021
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-vm67-7vmg-66vm, SNYK-JS-PORTPROCESSES-1078536

## What is CVE-2021-23348?

CVE-2021-23348 is a medium-severity command injection vulnerability in portprocesses, published on 31 Mar 2021. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

This affects the package portprocesses before 1.0.5. If (attacker-controlled) user input is given to the killProcess function, it is possible for an attacker to execute arbitrary commands. This is due to use of the child_process exec function without input sanitization.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-23348?

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


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `portprocesses` | npm | All versions | 1.0.5 |
| `portprocesses` | npm | All versions | 1.0.5 |

Products: Portprocesses Project Portprocesses.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-23348?

Upgrade portprocesses to 1.0.5 or later.

## Is CVE-2021-23348 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-23348 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-23348 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-23348 is a medium-severity command injection vulnerability in portprocesses, published on 31 Mar 2021. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-23348 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- portprocesses (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 1.0.5
- portprocesses (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 1.0.5

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-2021-23348/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-23348/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-23348
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-23348
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-23348

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-23348/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.