CVE-2019-15609
📋 TL;DR
The kill-port-process npm package before version 2.2.0 contains a command injection vulnerability that allows attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the host system. This affects any application using vulnerable versions of this package, particularly Node.js applications that rely on it for port management.
💻 Affected Systems
- kill-port-process npm package
📦 What is this software?
Kill Port Process by Kill Port Process Project
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Full system compromise with remote code execution, allowing attackers to install malware, exfiltrate data, or pivot to other systems.
Likely Case
Local privilege escalation or remote code execution in applications that accept user input passed to kill-port-process functions.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if proper input validation and sandboxing are implemented, though the vulnerability remains present.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation is straightforward - attackers can inject shell commands through parameters passed to kill-port-process functions.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 2.2.0
Vendor Advisory: https://www.npmjs.com/advisories/1184
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Update kill-port-process to version 2.2.0 or later using 'npm update kill-port-process'. 2. Verify the update with 'npm list kill-port-process'. 3. Test application functionality after update.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Input validation and sanitization
allImplement strict input validation for any parameters passed to kill-port-process functions
Remove or replace package
allRemove kill-port-process dependency and use alternative port management solutions
npm uninstall kill-port-process
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict network segmentation to isolate affected systems
- Deploy application-level firewalls to monitor and block suspicious command execution attempts
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check package.json or run 'npm list kill-port-process' to see if version is below 2.2.0Check Version:
npm list kill-port-process | grep kill-port-processVerify Fix Applied:
Run 'npm list kill-port-process' and confirm version is 2.2.0 or higher📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual process spawns from Node.js applications
- Suspicious command execution patterns in application logs
Network Indicators:
- Unexpected outbound connections from Node.js processes
- Command and control traffic patterns
SIEM Query:
process.name:node AND (process.cmdline:*kill-port-process* OR process.cmdline:*sh* OR process.cmdline:*cmd*)