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NVD / CVE Program· CNA mitre

CVE-2021-43616: The npm ci command in npm 7.x and 8.x through 8.1.3 proceeds with an installation even if dependency information in package-lock.json differ

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Plan (action score 40/100)

  • Public proof-of-concept code exists (GitHub); there is no record of exploitation in the wild.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 2.6% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 85.5% of all records.
  • 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.
  • Fixed version: nodejs (AlmaLinux:8) 1:16.14.0-4.module_el8.6.0+2904+f21ad6f4; nodejs-devel (AlmaLinux:8) 1:16.14.0-4.module_el8.6.0+2904+f21ad6f4; nodejs-docs (AlmaLinux:8) 1:16.14.0-4.module_el8.6.0+2904+f21ad6f4.
  • Mentioned 1 time in Turkish national cyber security advisories (siberguvenlik.gov.tr).

Add it to your regular patch cycle. Upgrade to nodejs (AlmaLinux:8) 1:16.14.0-4.module_el8.6.0+2904+f21ad6f4; nodejs-devel (AlmaLinux:8) 1:16.14.0-4.module_el8.6.0+2904+f21ad6f4; nodejs-docs (AlmaLinux:8) 1:16.14.0-4.module_el8.6.0+2904+f21ad6f4 or later.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS

The npm ci command in npm 7.x and 8.x through 8.1.3 proceeds with an installation even if dependency information in package-lock.json differs from package.json. This behavior is inconsistent with the documentation, and makes it easier for attackers to install malware that was supposed to have been blocked by an exact version match requirement in package-lock.json. NOTE: The npm team believes this is not a vulnerability. It would require someone to socially engineer package.json which has different dependencies than package-lock.json. That user would have to have file system or write access to change dependencies. The npm team states preventing malicious actors from socially engineering or gaining file system access is outside the scope of the npm CLI.

CriticalCVSS 9.8 · v3.1—Proof of concept Fix available
Published
Nov 13, 2021
Updated
Jun 17, 2026
EPSS
2.6% · 85th percentile

Report tools

JSON

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 · 2.6%

CNA vs NVD score

NVD
9.8
CNA · mitre
9.0
0.8 point gap

CVSS:3.1/AC:H/AV:N/A:H/C:H/I:H/PR:N/S:C/UI:N

The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.

Get told when this record changes

  • Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
  • Proof of concept exists, no weaponized module
  • A fix has been released

If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.

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When you'll hear from us

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  • when exploit code appears or is weaponized
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  • when EPSS rises 20 points in a week

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Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.

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Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

VendorProduct
npmjsnpm
netappnext generation application programming interface
fedoraprojectfedora

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • fedoraproject fedora35
  • netapp next generation application programming interfaceall versions
  • npmjs npm7.0.0 and later · up to 7.24.2 inclusive
  • npmjs npm8.0.0 and later · up to 8.1.3 inclusive

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
AlmaLinux:8nodejsbefore 1:16.14.0-4.module_el8.6.0+2904+f21ad6f41:16.14.0-4.module_el8.6.0+2904+f21ad6f4
AlmaLinux:8nodejs-develbefore 1:16.14.0-4.module_el8.6.0+2904+f21ad6f41:16.14.0-4.module_el8.6.0+2904+f21ad6f4
AlmaLinux:8nodejs-docsbefore 1:16.14.0-4.module_el8.6.0+2904+f21ad6f41:16.14.0-4.module_el8.6.0+2904+f21ad6f4
AlmaLinux:8nodejs-full-i18nbefore 1:16.14.0-4.module_el8.6.0+2904+f21ad6f41:16.14.0-4.module_el8.6.0+2904+f21ad6f4
AlmaLinux:8nodejs-nodemonbefore 2.0.15-1.module_el8.6.0+2904+f21ad6f42.0.15-1.module_el8.6.0+2904+f21ad6f4
AlmaLinux:8nodejs-nodemonbefore 2.0.15-1.module_el8.5.0+2605+45d748af2.0.15-1.module_el8.5.0+2605+45d748af
AlmaLinux:8nodejs-packagingbefore 25-1.module_el8.5.0+246+0540160525-1.module_el8.5.0+246+05401605
AlmaLinux:8nodejs-packagingbefore 25-1.module_el8.5.0+2605+45d748af25-1.module_el8.5.0+2605+45d748af
AlmaLinux:8npmbefore 1:8.3.1-1.16.14.0.4.module_el8.6.0+2904+f21ad6f41:8.3.1-1.16.14.0.4.module_el8.6.0+2904+f21ad6f4
Alpine:v3.16npmfrom 7.0.0 · before 8.1.4-r08.1.4-r0
Debian:12npmbefore 8.4.1~ds-18.4.1~ds-1
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamnodejsbefore 1:16.14.0-4.module+el8.6.0+15294+54b291d21:16.14.0-4.module+el8.6.0+15294+54b291d2
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamnodejs-debuginfobefore 1:16.14.0-4.module+el8.6.0+15294+54b291d21:16.14.0-4.module+el8.6.0+15294+54b291d2
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamnodejs-debugsourcebefore 1:16.14.0-4.module+el8.6.0+15294+54b291d21:16.14.0-4.module+el8.6.0+15294+54b291d2
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamnodejs-develbefore 1:16.14.0-4.module+el8.6.0+15294+54b291d21:16.14.0-4.module+el8.6.0+15294+54b291d2
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamnodejs-docsbefore 1:16.14.0-4.module+el8.6.0+15294+54b291d21:16.14.0-4.module+el8.6.0+15294+54b291d2
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamnodejs-full-i18nbefore 1:16.14.0-4.module+el8.6.0+15294+54b291d21:16.14.0-4.module+el8.6.0+15294+54b291d2
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamnodejs-nodemonbefore 0:2.0.15-1.module+el8.6.0+15294+54b291d20:2.0.15-1.module+el8.6.0+15294+54b291d2
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamnodejs-packagingbefore 0:25-1.module+el8.5.0+10992+fac5fe060:25-1.module+el8.5.0+10992+fac5fe06
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamnpmbefore 1:8.3.1-1.16.14.0.4.module+el8.6.0+15294+54b291d21:8.3.1-1.16.14.0.4.module+el8.6.0+15294+54b291d2
Rocky Linux:8nodejsbefore 1:16.14.0-4.module+el8.6.0+978+59f262321:16.14.0-4.module+el8.6.0+978+59f26232
Rocky Linux:8nodejs-nodemonbefore 0:2.0.15-1.module+el8.5.0+721+4c1072700:2.0.15-1.module+el8.5.0+721+4c107270
Rocky Linux:8nodejs-packagingbefore 0:25-1.module+el8.5.0+702+221f14e60:25-1.module+el8.5.0+702+221f14e6
Rocky Linux:8nodejs-packagingbefore 0:25-1.module+el8.6.0+1046+80feca580:25-1.module+el8.6.0+1046+80feca58

Same product

npmjs: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2019-16776Unauthorized File Access in npm CLI before before version 6.13.3
    33Monitor
  • CVE-2022-29244npm packing does not respect root-level ignore files in workspaces
    31Monitor
  • CVE-2018-7408An 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 upg
    31Monitor

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2019-16777Dec 12, 2019 · Arbitrary File Overwrite in npm CLI
    27Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2020-15095Jul 7, 2020 · Sensitive information exposure through logs in npm cli
    17Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
almalinux:nodejs1:16.14.0-4.module_el8.6.0+2904+f21ad6f4 · AlmaLinux:8Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:nodejs-devel1:16.14.0-4.module_el8.6.0+2904+f21ad6f4 · AlmaLinux:8Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:nodejs-docs1:16.14.0-4.module_el8.6.0+2904+f21ad6f4 · AlmaLinux:8Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:nodejs-full-i18n1:16.14.0-4.module_el8.6.0+2904+f21ad6f4 · AlmaLinux:8Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:nodejs-nodemon2.0.15-1.module_el8.6.0+2904+f21ad6f4 · AlmaLinux:8Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:nodejs-packaging25-1.module_el8.5.0+246+05401605 · AlmaLinux:8Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:npm1:8.3.1-1.16.14.0.4.module_el8.6.0+2904+f21ad6f4 · AlmaLinux:8Package registry (OSV)
alpine:npm8.1.4-r0 · Alpine:v3.16Package registry (OSV)
debian:npm8.4.1~ds-1 · Debian:12Package registry (OSV)
red hat:nodejs1:16.14.0-4.module+el8.6.0+15294+54b291d2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:nodejs-debuginfo1:16.14.0-4.module+el8.6.0+15294+54b291d2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:nodejs-debugsource1:16.14.0-4.module+el8.6.0+15294+54b291d2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:nodejs-devel1:16.14.0-4.module+el8.6.0+15294+54b291d2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:nodejs-docs1:16.14.0-4.module+el8.6.0+15294+54b291d2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:nodejs-full-i18n1:16.14.0-4.module+el8.6.0+15294+54b291d2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:nodejs-nodemon0:2.0.15-1.module+el8.6.0+15294+54b291d2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:nodejs-packaging0:25-1.module+el8.5.0+10992+fac5fe06 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:npm1:8.3.1-1.16.14.0.4.module+el8.6.0+15294+54b291d2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
rocky linux:nodejs1:16.14.0-4.module+el8.6.0+978+59f26232 · Rocky Linux:8Package registry (OSV)
rocky linux:nodejs-nodemon0:2.0.15-1.module+el8.5.0+721+4c107270 · Rocky Linux:8Package registry (OSV)
rocky linux:nodejs-packaging0:25-1.module+el8.6.0+1046+80feca58 · Rocky Linux:8Package 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.

Public exploit evidence
SourceKindDate
Proof-of-concept repository on GitHubstars:32021-11-15

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.

  1. Published
  2. First PoC+1 d
  3. TodayNov 10, 2026+1823 d

No history yet (it accumulates with the daily EPSS job).

Patch and commit links

Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.

Credits

All researchers

Finders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.

No credits in the CNA record.

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).

National notice (Türkiye Cybersecurity Directorate / USOM)

Official security notices citing this record; remediation advice is on the agency's page.

All national notices →

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-345 · Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity

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.

Change log

  1. Fix✗ → ✓

For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →

References

Show all references (7 more)

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records