CVE-2022-24783 is a vulnerability identified in the Deno runtime environment for JavaScript and TypeScript, specifically affecting versions from 1.18.0 up to and including 1.20.2. Deno is designed as a secure runtime that enforces permission checks to restrict access to system resources such as the file system, network, and environment variables. However, this vulnerability arises from improper privilege management (CWE-269), allowing a malicious actor who controls code execution within the Deno runtime to bypass all permission checks. This bypass enables the attacker to execute arbitrary shell commands on the host system, effectively escalating privileges beyond the intended sandbox restrictions. Notably, this vulnerability does not impact users of Deno Deploy, the cloud-based deployment platform, but only local or self-hosted Deno runtimes within the affected version range. The issue was addressed and patched in version 1.20.3 of Deno, with no available workaround, making immediate upgrade the only effective mitigation. There are no known exploits in the wild at the time of reporting, but the potential for exploitation exists given the ability to execute arbitrary shell code without permission constraints. This vulnerability poses a significant risk in environments where untrusted or semi-trusted code is executed within Deno runtimes, as it undermines the core security model of permission isolation.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be substantial, especially for those leveraging Deno for server-side scripting, automation, or microservices. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized system access, data exfiltration, lateral movement within networks, or deployment of further malware. The ability to execute arbitrary shell commands compromises both the confidentiality and integrity of systems and data, and may also affect availability if destructive commands are issued. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure that rely on Deno for internal tooling or production workloads could face operational disruptions and regulatory compliance issues under GDPR if sensitive data is exposed. The medium severity rating reflects the requirement that an attacker must already control code execution within the Deno runtime, which limits the attack surface but does not eliminate risk, particularly in environments running third-party or user-submitted scripts. Given the increasing adoption of Deno in European tech ecosystems, the vulnerability could be exploited in development, testing, or production environments if not promptly addressed.

Immediate upgrade to Deno version 1.20.3 or later is the primary and only effective mitigation, as no workaround exists. Organizations should audit their environments to identify all instances of Deno runtimes within the vulnerable version range, including development, staging, and production systems. Implement strict code review and validation processes to prevent execution of untrusted or malicious scripts within Deno environments. Employ runtime monitoring and anomaly detection to identify unusual shell command executions originating from Deno processes. Where feasible, isolate Deno runtimes within containerized or sandboxed environments with additional host-level restrictions to limit potential damage from exploitation. Additionally, organizations should maintain an inventory of dependencies and monitor for updates from the Deno project to promptly apply future security patches. Finally, educating developers and DevOps teams about the risks associated with executing untrusted code in Deno can reduce the likelihood of exploitation.