# CVE-2021-43616: Supply chain in n/a > npm ci installs dependencies despite lockfile mismatches, potentially allowing malware installation if package.json is tampered with. - **Severity:** Critical 9.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AC:H/AV:N/A:H/C:H/I:H/PR:N/S:C/UI:N`) - **Exploited in the wild:** Not known - **Login needed:** Not needed - **Attackable:** Over the internet - **Victim action needed:** Not needed - **Fix available:** Yes - **Published:** 13 Nov 2021 - **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024 - **Also known as:** ALSA-2022:4796, CLEANSTART-2026-FF52474, DEBIAN-CVE-2021-43616, GHSA-ppxp-px5q-gwqm, RHSA-2022:4796, RLSA-2022:4796, UBUNTU-CVE-2021-43616 ## What is CVE-2021-43616? CVE-2021-43616 is a critical vulnerability in Fedoraproject Fedora, published on 13 Nov 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim. ### Official description The npm ci command in npm 7.x and 8.x through 8.1.3 proceeds with an installation even if dependency information in package-lock.json differs from package.json. This behavior is inconsistent with the documentation, and makes it easier for attackers to install malware that was supposed to have been blocked by an exact version match requirement in package-lock.json. NOTE: The npm team believes this is not a vulnerability. It would require someone to socially engineer package.json which has different dependencies than package-lock.json. That user would have to have file system or write access to change dependencies. The npm team states preventing malicious actors from socially engineering or gaining file system access is outside the scope of the npm CLI. Weakness: CWE-345 (Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity) ## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-43616? It affects 3 products. | Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `nodejs` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 1:16.14.0-4.module_el8.6.0+2904+f21ad6f4 | | `nodejs-devel` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 1:16.14.0-4.module_el8.6.0+2904+f21ad6f4 | | `nodejs-docs` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 1:16.14.0-4.module_el8.6.0+2904+f21ad6f4 | | `nodejs-full-i18n` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 1:16.14.0-4.module_el8.6.0+2904+f21ad6f4 | | `nodejs-nodemon` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 2.0.15-1.module_el8.5.0+2605+45d748af | | `nodejs-nodemon` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 2.0.15-1.module_el8.6.0+2904+f21ad6f4 | | `nodejs-packaging` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 25-1.module_el8.5.0+246+05401605 | | `nodejs-packaging` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 25-1.module_el8.5.0+2605+45d748af | | `npm` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 1:8.3.1-1.16.14.0.4.module_el8.6.0+2904+f21ad6f4 | | `nodejs` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 1:16.14.0-4.module+el8.6.0+15294+54b291d2 | | `nodejs-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 1:16.14.0-4.module+el8.6.0+15294+54b291d2 | | `nodejs-debugsource` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 1:16.14.0-4.module+el8.6.0+15294+54b291d2 | | `nodejs-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 1:16.14.0-4.module+el8.6.0+15294+54b291d2 | | `nodejs-docs` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 1:16.14.0-4.module+el8.6.0+15294+54b291d2 | | `nodejs-full-i18n` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 1:16.14.0-4.module+el8.6.0+15294+54b291d2 | | `nodejs-nodemon` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 0:2.0.15-1.module+el8.6.0+15294+54b291d2 | | `nodejs-packaging` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 0:25-1.module+el8.5.0+10992+fac5fe06 | | `npm` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 1:8.3.1-1.16.14.0.4.module+el8.6.0+15294+54b291d2 | | `nodejs` | Rocky Linux:8 | All versions | 1:16.14.0-4.module+el8.6.0+978+59f26232 | | `nodejs-nodemon` | Rocky Linux:8 | All versions | 0:2.0.15-1.module+el8.5.0+721+4c107270 | | `nodejs-packaging` | Rocky Linux:8 | All versions | 0:25-1.module+el8.5.0+702+221f14e6 | | `nodejs-packaging` | Rocky Linux:8 | All versions | 0:25-1.module+el8.6.0+1046+80feca58 | Products: Fedoraproject Fedora, Netapp Next Generation Application Programming Interface, Npmjs Npm. ## How do I fix CVE-2021-43616? No fix published yet. ## Is CVE-2021-43616 being exploited? There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-43616 in the wild and no public exploit code. Public exploit code: - Repo demonstrating CVE-2021-43616 / https://github.com/npm/cli/issues/2701 (github_poc): https://github.com/icatalina/CVE-2021-43616 ## Other vulnerabilities in Fedoraproject Fedora - [CVE-2024-4577](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-4577/): PHP-CGI OS Command Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2021-39226](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-39226/): Grafana Authentication Bypass (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2019-5544](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-5544/): VMware ESXi and Horizon DaaS OpenSLP Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2024-4947](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-4947/): Google Chromium V8 Type Confusion (critical 9.6, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2024-4671](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-4671/): Google Chromium Visuals Use-After-Free (critical 9.6, exploited in the wild) ## Fix prompt for AI coding agents ```text Check this codebase for CVE-2021-43616 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: CVE-2021-43616 is a critical vulnerability in Fedoraproject Fedora, published on 13 Nov 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim. Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-43616 in the wild and no public exploit code. Affected product: Fedoraproject Fedora. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page. 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-2021-43616/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-43616/index.md) ``` ## Sources - CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-43616 - NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-43616 - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-43616 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-43616/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.