# CVE-2026-57998: better-npm-audit OS Command Injection via registry flag

> Attackers can execute arbitrary OS commands by supplying malicious shell metacharacters in the registry flag to the better-npm-audit tool.

- **Severity:** High 8.5 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 22 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 29 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-f8p4-pxm9-xwx5

## What is CVE-2026-57998?

CVE-2026-57998 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in jeemok better-npm-audit, published on 22 Aug 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

better-npm-audit through 3.11.0, and the 4.0.0-rc.2 prerelease, builds its npm audit command by interpolating the user-supplied --registry option into a command string in src/handlers/handleInput.ts without validation or quoting, then passes that string to child_process.exec() in index.ts, which spawns a shell. A registry value containing shell metacharacters such as a semicolon, pipe, or command substitution executes arbitrary operating system commands with the privileges of the process running the audit.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-57998?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-57998?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-57998 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-57998 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-57998 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-57998 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-57998 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in jeemok better-npm-audit, published on 22 Aug 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-57998 exists.

Affected product: jeemok better-npm-audit. 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-2026-57998/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-57998/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-57998
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-57998
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-57998

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-57998/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.