Weakness (CWE)
CWE-78: OS Command Injection
The product constructs all or part of an OS command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended OS command before it is sent to a downstream component.
How to prevent it (8 mitigations)
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Architecture and Design
If at all possible, use library calls rather than external processes to recreate the desired functionality.
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Architecture and Design, Operation
Run the code in a "jail" or similar sandbox environment that enforces strict boundaries between the process and the operating system. This may effectively restrict which files can be accessed in a particular directory or which commands can be executed by the software.
OS-level examples include the Unix chroot jail, AppArmor, and SELinux. In general, managed code may provide some protection. For example, java.io.FilePermission in the Java SecurityManager allows the software to specify restrictions on file operations.
This may not be a feasible solution, and it only limits the impact to the operating system; the rest of the application may still be subject to compromise.
Be careful to avoid CWE-243 and other weaknesses related to jails.
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Architecture and Design
For any data that will be used to generate a command to be executed, keep as much of that data out of external control as possible. For example, in web applications, this may require storing the data locally in the session's state instead of sending it out to the client in a hidden form field.
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Architecture and Design
For any security checks that are performed on the client side, ensure that these checks are duplicated on the server side, in order to avoid CWE-602. Attackers can bypass the client-side checks by modifying values after the checks have been performed, or by changing the client to remove the client-side checks entirely. Then, these modified values would be submitted to the server.
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Architecture and Design
Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid.
For example, consider using the ESAPI Encoding control [REF-45] or a similar tool, library, or framework. These will help the programmer encode outputs in a manner less prone to error.
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Implementation
While it is risky to use dynamically-generated query strings, code, or commands that mix control and data together, sometimes it may be unavoidable. Properly quote arguments and escape any special characters within those arguments. The most conservative approach is to escape or filter all characters that do not pass an extremely strict allowlist (such as everything that is not alphanumeric or white space). If some special characters are still needed, such as white space, wrap each argument in quotes after the escaping/filtering step. Be careful of argument injection (CWE-88).
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Implementation
If the program to be executed allows arguments to be specified within an input file or from standard input, then consider using that mode to pass arguments instead of the command line.
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Architecture and Design
If available, use structured mechanisms that automatically enforce the separation between data and code. These mechanisms may be able to provide the relevant quoting, encoding, and validation automatically, instead of relying on the developer to provide this capability at every point where output is generated.
Some languages offer multiple functions that can be used to invoke commands. Where possible, identify any function that invokes a command shell using a single string, and replace it with a function that requires individual arguments. These functions typically perform appropriate quoting and filtering of arguments. For example, in C, the system() function accepts a string that contains the entire command to be executed, whereas execl(), execve(), and others require an array of strings, one for each argument. In Windows, CreateProcess() only accepts one command at a time. In Perl, if system() is provided with an array of arguments, then it will quote each of the arguments.
Source: MITRE CWE-78
32 results · Clear filters · Feed
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Low 3.1
nvm evaluates a malicious mirror's index.tab version strings as shell arithmetic via stored LTS aliases
Node Version Manager (nvm) is a POSIX-compliant shell function for managing multiple node.js versions. In versions 0.39.6 through 0.40.8, `nvm ls-remote` (and other commands that refresh remote LTS aliases) store the version column of the mirror's `index.tab`…
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Low 3.3
CUPS ipp backend status-line injection can update queue PPD and lead to conditional RCE as lp via foomatic-rip
OpenPrinting CUPS is an open source printing system for Linux and other Unix-like operating systems. Prior to 2.4.20, the backend/ipp.c quote_string() function preserves carriage-return and line-feed characters in a remote printer-controlled marker-message be…
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Low 3.8
HPE NonStop Java JToolkit - Command Injection and buffer overflow vulnerability
A security vulnerability in HPE NonStop Java JToolkit can allow command Injection and buffer overflow.
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Low 3.3
Chainguard Academy (edu) integrate-platform-docs composite action interpolates inputs into shell commands
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command in the integrate-platform-docs composite GitHub Action of Chainguard Academy (edu) from commit 7375a80caabcc31c33ec90f29687ed78c13d16ff before commit fb0efb2537d326ab18c07d620875b8ed2a4b39f3 al…
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Low 3.1
A Command Injection vulnerability exists in the bs_SetLimitCli_info function within the libshare.so library of the LB-L…
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Low 1.1
Checkov by Prisma Cloud: OS Command Injection Vulnerability
An OS command injection vulnerability in Palo Alto Networks Checkov by Prisma® Cloud enables a local user to execute arbitrary commands in the processes running Checkov.
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Low 2.0
Pyenv: Glob/wildcard metacharacters bypass is_version_safe(), causing silent version/interpreter substitution via unquoted expansion (CVE-2022-35861 residual)
Pyenv provides simple Python version management. Prior to 2.8.0, is_version_safe() in libexec/pyenv-version-file-read accepts shell glob metacharacters in .python-version values, and unquoted PYENV_VERSION expansion in libexec/pyenv-version-name, libexec/pyen…
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Low 3.9
Libssh: libssh: information disclosure via proxycommand %r username expansion
A flaw was found in libssh. A malicious username expanded through %r in ProxyCommand handling can inject shell metacharacters, exposing environment variables and causing unintended shell behavior.
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Low 3.3
Coolify: OS Command Injection via Database Credential Fields in Docker Compose Service Commands
Coolify is an open-source and self-hostable tool for managing servers, applications, and databases. Prior to 4.0.0-beta.474, database credential fields (redis_password, keydb_password, dragonfly_password, clickhouse_admin_user, clickhouse_admin_password, post…
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Low 3.3
Coolify: Authenticated Host-Level RCE via Unescaped Database Credentials in Backup Jobs
Coolify is an open-source and self-hostable tool for managing servers, applications, and databases. Prior to 4.0.0-beta.471, DatabaseBackupJob interpolates user-controlled database credentials and MongoDB collection exclusion names into backup shell commands …
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Low 3.3
Coolify: Command Injection via unsanitized MongoDB collection names in database backup
Coolify is an open-source and self-hostable tool for managing servers, applications, and databases. From 4.0.0-beta.451 through 4.0.0-beta.470, database backup handling for MongoDB collection names did not fully validate shell metacharacters, allowing a highl…
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Low 3.8
Coolify: Command Injection via Unescaped Version String in Docker Build
Coolify is an open-source and self-hostable tool for managing servers, applications, and databases. Prior to 4.0.0-beta.474, the buildHelperImage method in app/Livewire/Settings/Index.php constructs a Docker build command using the dev_helper_version field wi…
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Low 2.5
system() after failed chdir()
Netatalk 2.2.1 through 4.4.2 calls system() after a failed chdir() without properly handling the error condition, which allows a local privileged user to execute unintended commands or cause a minor service disruption under specific conditions.
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Low 3.6
Vim: Command injection in tar#Vimuntar via missing shellescape {special} flag
Vim is an open source, command line text editor. Prior to 9.2.0479, a command injection vulnerability exists in tar#Vimuntar() in runtime/autoload/tar.vim when decompressing .tgz archives on Unix-like systems. The function builds :!gunzip and :!gzip -d comman…
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Low 2.1
Command Execution vulnerability in Simplicity Installer
Vulnerable endpoints accept user-controlled input through a URL in JSON format which enables command execution. The commands allowed to execute can open executables. However, the commands cannot pass parameters or arguments. To successfully execute this atta…
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Low 2.0
QTS, QuTS hero
A command injection vulnerability has been reported to affect several QNAP operating system versions. If an attacker gains local network access who have also gained a user account, they can then exploit the vulnerability to execute arbitrary commands. We have…
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Low 2.7
Lantronix EDS3000PS Unverified Password Change
The administrator password can be changed without knowledge of the current password. When chained with an authentication bypass vulnerability, this issue may allow unauthenticated attackers to modify the administrator password.
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Low —
OpenClaw's tools.exec.safeBins generic fallback allowed interpreter-style inline payload execution in allowlist mode
### Summary When `tools.exec.safeBins` contained a binary without an explicit safe-bin profile, OpenClaw used a permissive generic fallback profile. In allowlist mode, that could let interpreter-style binaries (for example `python3`, `node`, `ruby`) execute i…
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Low 2.0
Media Streaming add-on
A command injection vulnerability has been reported to affect Media Streaming add-on. If an attacker gains local network access who have also gained a user account, they can then exploit the vulnerability to execute arbitrary commands. We have already fixed t…
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Low 3.7
mcp-kubernetes-server has an OS Command Injection vulnerability
feiskyer mcp-kubernetes-server through 0.1.11 allows OS command injection, even in read-only mode, via /mcp/kubectl because shell=True is used. NOTE: this is unrelated to mcp-server-kubernetes and CVE-2025-53355.
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Low 2.3
HybridDesk Station
A command injection vulnerability has been reported to affect HybridDesk Station. If an attacker gains local network access, they can then exploit the vulnerability to execute arbitrary commands. We have already fixed the vulnerability in the following versio…
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Low 2.8
Thor before 1.4.0 can construct an unsafe shell command from library input. NOTE: this is disputed by the Supplier beca…
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Low 3.6
Gitk can create and truncate files in the user's home directory
Gitk is a Tcl/Tk based Git history browser. Starting with 1.7.0, when a user clones an untrusted repository and runs gitk without additional command arguments, files for which the user has write permission can be created and truncated. The option Support per-…
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Low 2.4
QHora
A command injection vulnerability has been reported to affect QHora. If an attacker gains local network access who have also gained an administrator account, they can then exploit the vulnerability to execute arbitrary commands. We have already fixed the vuln…
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Low 2.7
A vulnerability has been identified in SCALANCE LPE9403 (6GK5998-3GS00-2AC2) (All versions < V4.0). Affected devices do…
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Low 3.9CVE-2024-12970 Public exploit
OS Command Injection in TUBITAK BILGEM's Pardus OS My Computer
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection') vulnerability in TUBITAK BILGEM Pardus OS My Computer allows OS Command Injection. This issue affects Pardus OS My Computer: before 0.7.2.
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Low 2.7
Harden-Runner has command injection weaknesses in `setup.ts` and `arc-runner.ts`
StepSecurity's Harden-Runner provides network egress filtering and runtime security for GitHub-hosted and self-hosted runners. Versions of step-security/harden-runner prior to v2.10.2 contain multiple command injection weaknesses via environment variables tha…
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Low 3.8
OS Command Injection in ljharb/npm-lockfile
OS Command Injection in GitHub repository ljharb/npm-lockfile in v2.0.3 and v2.0.4.
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Low 3.9
Command injection in @diez/generation
The @diez/generation npm package is a client for Diez. The locateFont method of @diez/generation has a command injection vulnerability. Clients of the @diez/generation library are unlikely to be aware of this, so they might unwittingly write code that contain…
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Low 3.8
apport get_modified_conffiles() function command injection
It was discovered that the get_modified_conffiles() function in backends/packaging-apt-dpkg.py allowed injecting modified package names in a manner that would confuse the dpkg(1) call.
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Low 3.8
Command Injection in Limdu trainBatch function
In Limdu before 0.95, the trainBatch function has a command injection vulnerability. Clients of the Limdu library are unlikely to be aware of this, so they might unwittingly write code that contains a vulnerability. This has been patched in 0.95.
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Low 2.0
DLP Endpoint ePO extension not sanitizing CSV exports
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command ('Command Injection') in ePO extension in McAfee Data Loss Prevention (DLP) 11.x prior to 11.3.0 allows Authenticated Adminstrator to execute arbitrary code with their local machine privileges via …