Weakness (CWE)
CWE-88: Argument Injection
The product constructs a string for a command to be executed by a separate component
in another control sphere, but it does not properly delimit the
intended arguments, options, or switches within that command string.
How to prevent it (8 mitigations)
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Implementation
Where possible, avoid building a single string that contains the command and its arguments. Some languages or frameworks have functions that support specifying independent arguments, e.g. as an array, which is used to automatically perform the appropriate quoting or escaping while building the command. For example, in PHP, escapeshellarg() can be used to escape a single argument to system(), or exec() can be called with an array of arguments. In C, code can often be refactored from using system() - which accepts a single string - to using exec(), which requires separate function arguments for each parameter.
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Architecture and Design
Understand all the potential areas where untrusted inputs can enter your product: parameters or arguments, cookies, anything read from the network, environment variables, request headers as well as content, URL components, e-mail, files, databases, and any external systems that provide data to the application. Perform input validation at well-defined interfaces.
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Implementation
Assume all input is malicious. Use an "accept known good" input validation strategy, i.e., use a list of acceptable inputs that strictly conform to specifications. Reject any input that does not strictly conform to specifications, or transform it into something that does.
When performing input validation, consider all potentially relevant properties, including length, type of input, the full range of acceptable values, missing or extra inputs, syntax, consistency across related fields, and conformance to business rules. As an example of business rule logic, "boat" may be syntactically valid because it only contains alphanumeric characters, but it is not valid if the input is only expected to contain colors such as "red" or "blue."
Do not rely exclusively on looking for malicious or malformed inputs. This is likely to miss at least one undesirable input, especially if the code's environment changes. This can give attackers enough room to bypass the intended validation. However, denylists can be useful for detecting potential attacks or determining which inputs are so malformed that they should be rejected outright.
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Implementation
Directly convert your input type into the expected data type, such as using a conversion function that translates a string into a number. After converting to the expected data type, ensure that the input's values fall within the expected range of allowable values and that multi-field consistencies are maintained.
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Implementation
Inputs should be decoded and canonicalized to the application's current internal representation before being validated (CWE-180, CWE-181). Make sure that your application does not inadvertently decode the same input twice (CWE-174). Such errors could be used to bypass allowlist schemes by introducing dangerous inputs after they have been checked. Use libraries such as the OWASP ESAPI Canonicalization control.
Consider performing repeated canonicalization until your input does not change any more. This will avoid double-decoding and similar scenarios, but it might inadvertently modify inputs that are allowed to contain properly-encoded dangerous content.
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Implementation
When exchanging data between components, ensure that both components are using the same character encoding. Ensure that the proper encoding is applied at each interface. Explicitly set the encoding you are using whenever the protocol allows you to do so.
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Implementation
When your application combines data from multiple sources, perform the validation after the sources have been combined. The individual data elements may pass the validation step but violate the intended restrictions after they have been combined.
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Testing
Use dynamic tools and techniques that interact with the product using large test suites with many diverse inputs, such as fuzz testing (fuzzing), robustness testing, and fault injection. The product's operation may slow down, but it should not become unstable, crash, or generate incorrect results.
Source: MITRE CWE-88
432 results · Feed
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High 8.8
Arbitrary command execution on Windows in qutebrowser
qutebrowser is an open source keyboard-focused browser with a minimal GUI. Starting with qutebrowser v1.7.0, the Windows installer for qutebrowser registers a `qutebrowserurl:` URL handler. With certain applications, opening a specially crafted `qutebrowserur…
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Medium 5.8
Remote command injection when using sendmail email transport
### Impact Sites using the `sendmail` transport as part of their `mail` config are vulnerable to remote command injection due to a [vulnerability](https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-48ww-j4fc-435p) in the `nodemailer` dependency. Ghost defaults to the `direct…
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High 8.1
Cisco IOS XR Software Arbitrary File Read and Write Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the SSH Server process of Cisco IOS XR Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to overwrite and read arbitrary files on the local device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation of arguments that are suppli…
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Medium 4.9
PAN-OS: OS Command Argument Injection in Web Interface
An OS command argument injection vulnerability in the Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS web interface enables an authenticated administrator to read any arbitrary file from the file system. This issue impacts: PAN-OS 8.1 versions earlier than PAN-OS 8.1.19; PAN-OS 9.…
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Medium 6.5
Ivanti MobileIron Core clish Restricted Shell Escape via Argument Injection
By abusing the 'install rpm info detail' command, an attacker can escape the restricted clish shell on affected versions of Ivanti MobileIron Core. This issue was fixed in version 11.1.0.0.
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Critical 9.8
Dragonfly contains remote code execution vulnerability
An argument injection vulnerability in the Dragonfly gem before 1.4.0 for Ruby allows remote attackers to read and write to arbitrary files via a crafted URL when the verify_url option is disabled. This may lead to code execution. The problem occurs because t…
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High 8.8CVE-2021-1531 EPSS 30%
Cisco Modeling Labs Web UI Command Injection Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the web UI of Cisco Modeling Labs could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the web application on the underlying operating system of an affected Cisco Modeling Labs server. This vuln…
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Medium 6.1
Header injection possible in Django
In Django 2.2 before 2.2.22, 3.1 before 3.1.10, and 3.2 before 3.2.2 (with Python 3.9.5+), URLValidator does not prohibit newlines and tabs (unless the URLField form field is used). If an application uses values with newlines in an HTTP response, header injec…
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High 8.8
Missing argument delimiter can lead to code execution via VCS repository URLs or source download URLs on systems with Mercurial in composer
Composer is a dependency manager for PHP. URLs for Mercurial repositories in the root composer.json and package source download URLs are not sanitized correctly. Specifically crafted URL values allow code to be executed in the HgDriver if hg/Mercurial is inst…
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High 7.8
Innorix File Transfer Solution File Download and Execution Vulnerability
Innorix Web-Based File Transfer Solution versuibs prior to and including 9.2.18.385 contains a vulnerability that could allow remote files to be downloaded and executed by setting the arguments to the internal method. A remote attacker could induce a user to …
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Medium 6.6
Cisco IOS XR Software Command Injection Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco IOS XR Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to inject arbitrary commands that are executed with root privileges on the underlying Linux operating system (OS) of an affected device. This vulnerability is due…
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High 7.8
Douzone ActiveX File Download and Execution Vulnerability
NBBDownloader.ocx ActiveX Control in Groupware contains a vulnerability that could allow remote files to be downloaded and executed by setting the arguments to the activex method. A remote attacker could induce a user to access a crafted web page, causing dam…
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Critical 9.3
Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Decompiling Package Process
APKLeaks is an open-source project for scanning APK file for URIs, endpoints & secrets. APKLeaks prior to v2.0.3 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary OS commands via package name inside application manifest. An attacker could include arguments that al…
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Medium 6.3
Null characters not escaped in shescape
shescape is a simple shell escape package for JavaScript. In shescape before version 1.1.3, anyone using _Shescape_ to defend against shell injection may still be vulnerable against shell injection if the attacker manages to insert a into the payload. For an …
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Unscored —
The fbgames protocol handler registered as part of Facebook Gameroom does not properly quote arguments passed to the ex…
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High 7.2
Dolibarr authenticated Remote Code Execution
Dolibarr 12.0.3 is vulnerable to authenticated Remote Code Execution. An attacker who has the access the admin dashboard can manipulate the backup function by inserting a payload into the filename for the zipfilename_template parameter to admin/tools/dolibarr…
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High 8.6
Command Injection
This affects the package nodemailer before 6.4.16. Use of crafted recipient email addresses may result in arbitrary command flag injection in sendmail transport for sending mails.
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Medium 6.7
Cisco SD-WAN vManage Software Command Injection Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the remote management feature of Cisco SD-WAN vManage Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to inject arbitrary commands and potentially gain elevated privileges. The vulnerability is due to improper validation of commands t…
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High 7.8
Cisco Data Center Network Manager Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco Data Center Network Manager (DCNM) could allow an authenticated, local attacker to elevate privileges to root and execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system. The vulnerability is due to insufficient restr…
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Unscored —
A CWE-88: Argument Injection or Modification vulnerability exists in EcoStruxure Operator Terminal Expert 3.1 Service P…
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High 8.7
RAONWIZ Inc K Upload, arguments modiffication via missing support for integrity check vulnerability
In RAONWIZ K Upload v2018.0.2.51 and prior, automatic update processing without integrity check on update module(web.js) allows an attacker to modify arguments which causes downloading a random DLL and injection on it.
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Low 3.9
Argument Injection in Ansible
A flaw was found in Ansible Engine when the module package or service is used and the parameter 'use' is not specified. If a previous task is executed with a malicious user, the module sent can be selected by the attacker using the ansible facts file. All ver…
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High 7.5
Argument injection in a MimeTypeGuesser in Symfony
An issue was discovered in Symfony 2.8.0 through 2.8.50, 3.4.0 through 3.4.34, 4.2.0 through 4.2.11, and 4.3.0 through 4.3.7. If an application passes unvalidated user input as the file for which MIME type validation should occur, then arbitrary arguments are…
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High 7.8
An exploitable privilege escalation vulnerability exists in the Wacom, driver version 6.3.32-3, update helper service i…
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High 7.1
An exploitable privilege escalation vulnerability exists in the Wacom, driver version 6.3.32-3, update helper service i…
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Critical 9.8
Prototype Pollution in mixin-deep
mixin-deep is vulnerable to Prototype Pollution in versions before 1.3.2 and version 2.0.0. The function mixin-deep could be tricked into adding or modifying properties of Object.prototype using a constructor payload.
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Medium 6.5
Argument Injection in Apache Geode server
When an Apache Geode server versions 1.0.0 to 1.8.0 is operating in secure mode, a user with write permissions for specific data regions can modify internal cluster metadata. A malicious user could modify this data in a way that affects the operation of the c…
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High 7.5
RubyGems Escape sequence injection vulnerability in verbose
An issue was discovered in RubyGems 2.6 and later through 3.0.2. Since Gem::UserInteraction#verbose calls say without escaping, escape sequence injection is possible.
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Unscored —
Crestron AM-100 with firmware 1.6.0.2 and AM-101 with firmware 2.7.0.2 are vulnerable to argumention injection to the c…
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Critical 9.8
Arbitrary Code Execution in mathjs
math.js before 3.17.0 had an issue where private properties such as a constructor could be replaced by using unicode characters when creating an object.
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Critical 9.8
Remote code execution in PHPMailer
The mailSend function in the isMail transport in PHPMailer before 5.2.18 might allow remote attackers to pass extra parameters to the mail command and consequently execute arbitrary code via a \" (backslash double quote) in a crafted Sender property.
KEV Jul 7, 2025 -
High 7.3CVE-2001-0667 EPSS 15%
Internet Explorer 6 and earlier, when used with the Telnet client in Services for Unix (SFU) 2.0, allows remote attacke…