NodeJS/npm/2.0.0-beta.3

npm Vulnerable to Global node_modules Binary Overwrite

Versions of the npm CLI prior to 6.13.4 are vulnerable to a Global node_modules Binary Overwrite. It fails to prevent existing globally-installed binaries to be overwritten by other package installations.

For example, if a package was installed globally and created a serve binary, any subsequent installs of packages that also create a serve binary would overwrite the first binary. This will not overwrite system binaries but only binaries put into the global node_modules directory.

This behavior is still allowed in local installations and also through install scripts. This vulnerability bypasses a user using the --ignore-scripts install option.

Recommendation

Upgrade to version 6.13.4 or later.

npm CLI exposing sensitive information through logs

Versions of the npm CLI prior to 6.14.6 are vulnerable to an information exposure vulnerability through log files. The CLI supports URLs like <protocol>://[<user>[:<password>]@]<hostname>[:<port>][:][/]<path>. The password value is not redacted and is printed to stdout and also to any generated log files.

npm Token Leak in npm

Affected versions of the npm package include the bearer token of the logged in user in every request made by the CLI, even if the request is not directed towards the user's active registry.

An attacker could create an HTTP server to collect tokens, and by various means including but not limited to install scripts, cause the npm CLI to make a request to that server, which would compromise the user's token.

This compromised token could be used to do anything that the user could do, including publishing new packages.

Recommendation

1. Update npm with npm install npm@latest -g
2. Revoke your Tokens
3. Enable Two-Factor Authentication

Arbitrary File Write in npm

Versions of the npm CLI prior to 6.13.3 are vulnerable to an Arbitrary File Write. It fails to prevent access to folders outside of the intended node_modules folder through the bin field. A properly constructed entry in the package.json bin field would allow a package publisher to create files on a user's system when the package is installed. It is only possible to affect files that the user running npm install has access to and it is not possible to over write files that already exist on disk.

This behavior is still possible through install scripts. This vulnerability bypasses a user using the --ignore-scripts install option.

Recommendation

Upgrade to version 6.13.3 or later.

Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource in NPM

An issue was discovered in an npm 5.7.0 2018-02-21 pre-release (marked as next: 5.7.0 and therefore automatically installed by an npm upgrade -g npm command, and also announced in the vendor's blog without mention of pre-release status). It might allow local users to bypass intended filesystem access restrictions because ownerships of /etc and /usr directories are being changed unexpectedly, related to a correctMkdir issue.

npm symlink reference outside of node_modules

Versions of the npm CLI prior to 6.13.3 are vulnerable to a symlink reference outside of nodemodules. It is possible for packages to create symlinks to files outside of the`nodemodulesfolder through thebinfield upon installation. A properly constructed entry in the package.json bin field would allow a package publisher to create a symlink pointing to arbitrary files on a user’s system when the package is installed. Only files accessible by the user running thenpm install` are affected.

This behavior is still possible through install scripts. This vulnerability bypasses a user using the --ignore-scripts install option.

Recommendation

Upgrade to version 6.13.3 or later.

npm Token Leak

The primary npm registry has, since late 2014, used HTTP bearer tokens to authenticate requests from the npm command-line interface. Due to a design flaw in the CLI, these bearer tokens were sent with every request made by the CLI for logged-in users, regardless of the destination of the request. They should instead only be included for requests made against the registry or registries used for the current install.

This flaw allows an attacker to set up an HTTP server that could collect authentication information they could use to impersonate the users whose tokens they collected. This impersonation would allow them to do anything the compromised users could do, including publishing new versions of packages.