CVE-2025-59046 is a critical command injection vulnerability found in the npm package 'interactive-git-checkout', a command-line tool designed to facilitate interactive git branch checkouts by prompting users for branch names. Versions up to and including 1.1.4 are affected. The vulnerability arises because the tool uses Node.js's child process module's exec() function to run the 'git checkout' command, directly incorporating user-supplied branch names without proper sanitization or validation. This improper neutralization of special elements (classified under CWE-77) allows an attacker to inject arbitrary shell commands. When exploited, this can lead to full compromise of the system running the tool, as the injected commands execute with the privileges of the user invoking the tool. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8, indicating critical severity, with attack vector being network-based, no privileges or user interaction required, and full impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The issue was fixed in a commit identified as 8dd832dd302af287a61611f4f85e157cd1c6bb41. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, but the severity and ease of exploitation make it a significant threat, especially in development environments where this tool is used to manage git branches interactively.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be severe, particularly for software development teams and DevOps environments that rely on the 'interactive-git-checkout' tool for managing git branches. Exploitation could allow attackers to execute arbitrary commands on developer machines or CI/CD infrastructure, potentially leading to unauthorized access to source code repositories, injection of malicious code, disruption of development workflows, and lateral movement within internal networks. Given that git repositories often contain sensitive intellectual property and codebases, confidentiality breaches could result in significant financial and reputational damage. Additionally, integrity and availability of development environments could be compromised, delaying software releases and impacting business operations. The vulnerability's network attack vector and lack of required privileges mean that attackers could exploit it remotely if the tool is used in exposed environments or through compromised developer endpoints. This elevates the risk for European organizations with distributed or remote development teams, especially those in regulated industries where source code integrity is critical.

European organizations should immediately update the 'interactive-git-checkout' package to a version later than 1.1.4 where the vulnerability is patched. Beyond updating, organizations should enforce strict input validation and sanitization practices in any custom scripts or tools that invoke shell commands with user input. Implementing least privilege principles for developer workstations and CI/CD systems can limit the impact of potential exploitation. Monitoring and logging usage of the 'interactive-git-checkout' tool can help detect anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider isolating development environments from critical production systems to prevent lateral movement. Employing application allowlisting and endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions can provide further protection against command injection attacks. Finally, educating developers about the risks of using vulnerable third-party tools and encouraging the use of secure alternatives or updated versions is essential to reduce exposure.