CVE-2022-25853
📋 TL;DR
CVE-2022-25853 is a command injection vulnerability in the semver-tags npm package that allows attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the host system. The vulnerability exists in the getGitTagsRemote function due to improper input sanitization. Anyone using the semver-tags package in their Node.js applications is affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- semver-tags
📦 What is this software?
Semver Tags by Semver Tags Project
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Full system compromise allowing remote code execution, data theft, lateral movement, and complete control of the affected system.
Likely Case
Arbitrary command execution with the privileges of the Node.js process, potentially leading to data exfiltration, service disruption, or installation of malware.
If Mitigated
Limited impact due to proper input validation, sandboxing, or minimal privileges, potentially resulting in failed exploitation or limited command execution.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires the attacker to control input to the getGitTagsRemote function. The vulnerability is well-documented with public proof-of-concept examples available.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Not specifically versioned - package appears unmaintained
Vendor Advisory: https://security.snyk.io/vuln/SNYK-JS-SEMVERTAGS-3175612
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Remove semver-tags from your project dependencies. 2. Use an alternative package for semantic version tag management. 3. Run npm audit fix if applicable. 4. Rebuild and redeploy your application.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Input Validation Wrapper
allCreate a wrapper function that validates and sanitizes all input before passing to getGitTagsRemote
// JavaScript implementation required - no single command
Package Replacement
allReplace semver-tags with a maintained alternative like conventional-changelog or standard-version
npm uninstall semver-tags
npm install conventional-changelog --save-dev
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict input validation and sanitization for all parameters passed to semver-tags functions
- Run Node.js process with minimal privileges and in a sandboxed/containerized environment
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check package.json for semver-tags dependency: grep -r 'semver-tags' package.jsonCheck Version:
npm list semver-tagsVerify Fix Applied:
Verify semver-tags is no longer in package.json and node_modules: npm list semver-tags📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual command execution patterns in system logs
- Node.js process spawning unexpected child processes
- Git command execution with suspicious parameters
Network Indicators:
- Unexpected outbound connections from Node.js process
- DNS requests to suspicious domains following command execution
SIEM Query:
process.name:node AND child_process.name:(sh OR bash OR cmd) AND -process.args:(expected-git-command)🔗 References
- https://github.com/jtrussell/semver-tags/blob/db1ba680bafed0d51e1bb36bd38f2c5439fe8b00/lib/get-tags.js%23L21
- https://security.snyk.io/vuln/SNYK-JS-SEMVERTAGS-3175612
- https://github.com/jtrussell/semver-tags/blob/db1ba680bafed0d51e1bb36bd38f2c5439fe8b00/lib/get-tags.js%23L21
- https://security.snyk.io/vuln/SNYK-JS-SEMVERTAGS-3175612
