CVE-2026-42290: protobufjs protobuf.js · OS Command Injection
Affects protobufjs protobuf.jsSource CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.8 High : upgrade to 2.0.2 or 1.2.1 soon.
Data as of 30 Oct 2026, 11:52 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 2% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in 2.0.2, 1.2.1
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 13 May 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponized: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 30 Oct 2026.
What to do
Upgrade protobuf.js to 2.0.2 or 1.2.1; protobufjs-cli to 1.2.1.
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| protobufjsprotobuf.js | Affected
| Fixed in
|
| protobufjsprotobuf.js | Affected
| Fixed in
|
npmprotobufjs-clipkg:npm/protobufjs-cliOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.
AI-suggested
Upgrade protobufjs-cli to version 1.2.1 or 2.0.2 or later, where this vulnerability is fixed. Since this is a local command injection vulnerability triggered by crafted file paths, applying the official fix eliminates the risk. No additional mitigations are specified or required beyond upgrading.
Description
protobufjs-cli is the command line add-on for protobuf.js. Prior to 1.2.1 and 2.0.2, pbts invoked JSDoc by building a shell command string from input file paths and executing it through child_process.exec. File paths containing shell metacharacters could therefore be interpreted by the shell instead of being passed to JSDoc as plain arguments. This vulnerability is fixed in 1.2.1 and 2.0.2.