CVE-2021-3190: Async git OS Command Injection Vulnerability

CRITICAL
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-6c3f-p5wp-34mh
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CVSS 9.8
CWE-78
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2021-3190 is a CRITICAL (CVSS 9.8) os command injection vulnerability (CWE-78: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')) affecting Async git libraries in the npm ecosystem. The issue involves os command injection in async-git. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 1.13.2.

CVE-2021-3190 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2021-3190
GHSA Identifier GHSA-6c3f-p5wp-34mh
Severity CRITICAL
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 9.8
CWE Classification CWE-78: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')
Affected Product Async git
Package Ecosystem npm
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 9.8

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality High (C:H)
Integrity High (I:H)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2021-3190

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Async git dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

async-git fixed: 1.13.2 
npm install async-git@1.13.2
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

npm ls async-git

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Node.js application is affected by CVE-2021-3190, inspect your project dependencies using npm:

npm ls async-git

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Async git in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 1.13.2), your application is affected.

Note: The npm ls async-git command inspects dependencies declared in your package.json and lockfile; it does not perform automated runtime dynamic scanning.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-78: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection'), where the product constructs all or part of an os command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended os command when it is sent to a downstream component. In Async git, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

The async-git package before 1.13.2 for Node.js allows OS Command Injection via shell metacharacters, as demonstrated by git.reset and git.tag. This issue may lead to remote code execution if a client of the library calls the vulnerable method with untrusted input. Ensure to sanitize untrusted user input before passing it to one of the vulnerable functions as a workaround or update async-git to version 1.13.1.

CVE-2021-3190 Affected Async git Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
1.13.2
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
async-git
npm/async-git
npm
< 1.13.2
1.13.2

References

NVD — CVE-2021-3190 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-3190
Async git Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/omrilotan/async-git/pull/13
Async git Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/omrilotan/async-git/pull/13/commits/611823bd97dd41e9e8127c38066868ff9dcfa57a
Async git Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/omrilotan/async-git/pull/13/commits/a5f45f58941006c4cc1699609383b533d9b92c6a
Async git Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/omrilotan/async-git/pull/14
advisory.checkmarx.net/advisory/cx-2021-47... WEB
https://advisory.checkmarx.net/advisory/CX-2021-4772
Async git Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/omrilotan/async-git
www.npmjs.com/package/async-git WEB
https://www.npmjs.com/package/async-git

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2021-3190?
CVE-2021-3190 is a security vulnerability in Async git involving OS Command Injection in async-git under CWE-78: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection').
Which Async git versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 1.13.2 across affected packages: async-git.
What version fixes CVE-2021-3190?
Upgrading to 1.13.2 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is async-git affected?
Yes, async-git is affected in releases prior to 1.13.2. Upgrade your dependency to 1.13.2 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2021-3190?
CVE-2021-3190 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 (CRITICAL) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2021-3190?
CVE-2021-3190 is classified under CWE-78: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection') (The product constructs all or part of an OS command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended OS command when it is sent to a downstream component.).
How can I check npm dependencies for CVE-2021-3190?
Run the dependency tree command: 'npm ls async-git'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-6c3f-p5wp-34mh",
  "modified" : "2022-05-03T02:56:05Z",
  "published" : "2021-01-29T18:14:00Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2021-3190" ],
  "summary" : "OS Command Injection in async-git",
  "details" : "The async-git package before 1.13.2 for Node.js allows OS Command Injection via shell metacharacters, as demonstrated by git.reset and git.tag. This issue may lead to remote code execution if a client of the library calls the vulnerable method with untrusted input. Ensure to sanitize untrusted user input before passing it to one of the vulnerable functions as a workaround or update async-git to version 1.13.1.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "async-git"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "1.13.2"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-3190"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/omrilotan/async-git/pull/13"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/omrilotan/async-git/pull/13/commits/611823bd97dd41e9e8127c38066868ff9dcfa57a"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/omrilotan/async-git/pull/13/commits/a5f45f58941006c4cc1699609383b533d9b92c6a"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/omrilotan/async-git/pull/14"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://advisory.checkmarx.net/advisory/CX-2021-4772"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/omrilotan/async-git"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.npmjs.com/package/async-git"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-78" ],
    "severity" : "CRITICAL",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2021-01-27T23:33:04Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2021-01-26T18:16:00Z"
  }
}