CVE-2013-4116
Local Privilege Escalation in npm
lib/npm.js in Node Packaged Modules (npm) before 1.3.3 allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on temporary files with predictable names that are created when unpacking archives.
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
NVD Score used
3.3
lib/npm.js in Node Packaged Modules (npm) before 1.3.3 allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on temporary files with predictable names that are created when unpacking archives.
- Record
CVE-2013-4116- CVSS 2.0
- 3.3 Low
AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:P - Weakness
- CWE-59
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List No score
lib/npm.js in Node Packaged Modules (npm) before 1.3.3 allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on temporary files with predictable names that are created when unpacking archives.
- Record
CVE-2013-4116- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2020-1290 No score
lib/npm.js in Node Packaged Modules (npm) before 1.3.3 allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on temporary files with predictable names that are created when unpacking archives.
- Record
EUVD-2020-1290- Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-v3jv-wrf4-5845 No score
Local Privilege Escalation in npm
Affected versions of npm use predictable temporary file names during archive unpacking. If an attacker can create a symbolic link at the location of one of these temporary file names, the attacker can arbitrarily write to any file that the user which owns the npm process has permission to write to, potentially resulting in local privilege escalation.
Recommendation
Update to version 1.3.3 or later.
- Record
GHSA-v3jv-wrf4-5845- Weakness
- CWE-59
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV No score
lib/npm.js in Node Packaged Modules (npm) before 1.3.3 allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on temporary files with predictable names that are created when unpacking archives.
- Record
CVE-2013-4116- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2013-4116 No score
lib/npm.js in Node Packaged Modules (npm) before 1.3.3 allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on temporary files with predictable names that are created when unpacking archives.
- Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2013-4116- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-v3jv-wrf4-5845 No score
Local Privilege Escalation in npm
Affected versions of npm use predictable temporary file names during archive unpacking. If an attacker can create a symbolic link at the location of one of these temporary file names, the attacker can arbitrarily write to any file that the user which owns the npm process has permission to write to, potentially resulting in local privilege escalation.
Recommendation
Update to version 1.3.3 or later.
- Record
GHSA-v3jv-wrf4-5845- Weakness
- CWE-59
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2013-4116 No score
lib/npm.js in Node Packaged Modules (npm) before 1.3.3 allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on temporary files with predictable names that are created when unpacking archives.
- Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2013-4116- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| affected | ||
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2013-4116 is a low vulnerability (CVSS 3.3) in Node Packaged Modules Project Packaged Modules, published April 22, 2014. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.37%, the 31st percentile. Fixed in npm 1.3.3.
References
securityfocus.com/bid/61083
bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=983917
openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2013/07/11/9
bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=715325
github.com/npm/npm/issues/3635
github.com/npm/npm/commit/f4d31693
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openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2013/07/10/17
exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/87141
npmjs.com/advisories/152
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2013-4116
github.com/advisories/GHSA-v3jv-wrf4-5845
security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2013-4116
github.com/npm/npm
ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2013-4116
github.com/isaacs/npm/issues/3635
cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2013-4116