Arbitrary code execution via go.mod toolchain directive in cmd/go
The go.mod toolchain directive, introduced in Go 1.21, can be leveraged to execute scripts and binaries relative to the root of the module when the "go" command was executed within the module. This applies to modules downloaded using the "go" command from the module proxy, as well as modules downloaded directly using VCS software.
- Published
- Sep 8, 2023
- Updated
- Jun 17, 2026
- EPSS
- 1.8% · 77th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-94
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Report tools
Action score
40
Plan
Add it to your regular patch cycle.
- CVSS
- 39 / 40 · 9.8 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 1 / 30 · 1.8%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- none
- Automatable
- yes
- Technical impact
- total
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
Affected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| golang | go | cpe:2.3:a:golang:go |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- golang go1.21.0 and later · before 1.21.1
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (Go). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
Go toolchain cmd/go
- 1.21.0-0 and later · before 1.21.1affected · semver
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Go | toolchain | from 1.21.0-0 · before 1.21.1 | 1.21.1 |
| openSUSE:Tumbleweed | go1.21 | before 1.21.1-1.1 | 1.21.1-1.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP4 | go1.21 | before 1.21.1-150000.1.6.1 | 1.21.1-150000.1.6.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP4 | go1.21 | before 1.21.1-150000.1.6.1 | 1.21.1-150000.1.6.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP4 | go1.21-openssl | before 1.21.4.1-150000.1.5.1 | 1.21.4.1-150000.1.5.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP4 | go1.21-openssl | before 1.21.4.1-150000.1.5.1 | 1.21.4.1-150000.1.5.1 |
| SUSE:Package Hub 12 | go | before 1.21-41.1 | 1.21-41.1 |
| SUSE:Package Hub 12 | go1.21 | before 1.21.3-2.1 | 1.21.3-2.1 |
Same product
golang: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2018-7187The "go get" implementation in Go 1.9.4, when the -insecure command-line option is used, does not validate the import path (get/vcs.go only 54Plan
- CVE-2018-16873In Go before 1.10.6 and 1.11.x before 1.11.3, the "go get" command is vulnerable to remote code execution when executed with the -u flag and52Plan
- CVE-2021-38297Go before 1.16.9 and 1.17.x before 1.17.2 has a Buffer Overflow via large arguments in a function invocation from a WASM module, when GOARCH42Plan
- CVE-2019-14809net/url in Go before 1.11.13 and 1.12.x before 1.12.8 mishandles malformed hosts in URLs, leading to an authorization bypass in some applica42Plan
- CVE-2015-5739The net/http library in net/textproto/reader.go in Go before 1.4.3 does not properly parse HTTP header keys, which allows remote attackers t42Plan
- CVE-2017-15041Go before 1.8.4 and 1.9.x before 1.9.1 allows "go get" remote command execution.42Plan
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Go toolchain cmd/go | 1.21.1 | Vendor (CNA) |
| Go:toolchain | 1.21.1 | Package registry (OSV) |
| opensuse:go1.21 | 1.21.1-150000.1.6.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.4 | Package registry (OSV) |
| opensuse:go1.21-openssl | 1.21.4.1-150000.1.5.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.4 | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:go | 1.21-41.1 · SUSE:Package Hub 12 | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:go1.21 | 1.21.1-150000.1.6.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP4 | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:go1.21-openssl | 1.21.4.1-150000.1.5.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP4 | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
Proof of concept available
A public proof of concept or detection signature exists. Exploit knowledge is out there; don't delay patching.
Evidence
- Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub ×1
Noroxi does not host or link to exploit code. Metasploit module names and Nuclei template ids are shown (names, not code); Exploit-DB entries and PoC repositories are given as counts only.
| Source | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub | stars:1 | 2024-02-24 |
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
- Published
- First PoC+168 d
- TodaySep 30, 2026+1118 d
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
- Juho NurminenMattermost
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- No account or password is required.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- high · data can be read
- Integrity
- high · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- High
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-94 · Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
nvd-primary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
Noroxi analysis
No Noroxi analysis for this record yet
We don't hand-write analysis for all 385,000+ vulnerabilities; that wouldn't be honest. For notable, high-impact vulnerabilities our team writes the mechanism, detection and remediation steps.
We use this product, ask for helpChange log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
- go.dev/cl/526158
- go.dev/issue/62198
- groups.google.com/g/golang-dev/c/2C5vbR-UNkI/m/L1hdrPhfBAAJ
- pkg.go.dev/vuln/GO-2023-2042
- security.gentoo.org/glsa/202311-09
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20231020-0004/
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.