CVE-2017-16024
Tmp files readable by other users in sync-exec
The sync-exec module is used to simulate child_process.execSync in node versions <0.11.9. Sync-exec uses tmp directories as a buffer before returning values. Other users on the server have read access to the tmp directory, possibly allowing an attacker on the server to obtain confidential information from the buffer/tmp file, while it exists.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
NVD Score used
The sync-exec module is used to simulate child_process.execSync in node versions <0.11.9. Sync-exec uses tmp directories as a buffer before returning values. Other users on the server have read access to the tmp directory, possibly allowing an attacker on the server to obtain confidential information from the buffer/tmp file, while it exists.
- Record
CVE-2017-16024- CVSS 3.0
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - CVSS 2.0
- 4.0 Medium
AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:N/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-377, CWE-200
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List No score
The sync-exec module is used to simulate child_process.execSync in node versions <0.11.9. Sync-exec uses tmp directories as a buffer before returning values. Other users on the server have read access to the tmp directory, possibly allowing an attacker on the server to obtain confidential information from the buffer/tmp file, while it exists.
- Record
CVE-2017-16024- Weakness
- CWE-377
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2018-0725 No score
The sync-exec module is used to simulate child_process.execSync in node versions <0.11.9. Sync-exec uses tmp directories as a buffer before returning values. Other users on the server have read access to the tmp directory, possibly allowing an attacker on the server to obtain confidential information from the buffer/tmp file, while it exists.
- Record
EUVD-2018-0725- Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-38h8-x697-gh8q
Tmp files readable by other users in sync-exec
Affected versions of sync-exec use files located in /tmp/ to buffer command results before returning values. As /tmp/ is almost always set with world readable permissions, this may allow low privilege users on the system to read the results of commands run via sync-exec under a higher privilege user.
Recommendation
There is currently no direct patch for sync-exec, as the child_process.execSync function provided in Node.js v0.12.0 and later provides the same functionality natively.
The best mitigation currently is to update to Node.js v0.12.0 or later, and migrate all uses of sync-exec to child_process.execSync().
- Record
GHSA-38h8-x697-gh8q- CVSS 3.0
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-377
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
The sync-exec module is used to simulate child_process.execSync in node versions <0.11.9. Sync-exec uses tmp directories as a buffer before returning values. Other users on the server have read access to the tmp directory, possibly allowing an attacker on the server to obtain confidential information from the buffer/tmp file, while it exists.
- Record
CVE-2017-16024- CVSS 3.0
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-38h8-x697-gh8q
Tmp files readable by other users in sync-exec
Affected versions of sync-exec use files located in /tmp/ to buffer command results before returning values. As /tmp/ is almost always set with world readable permissions, this may allow low privilege users on the system to read the results of commands run via sync-exec under a higher privilege user.
Recommendation
There is currently no direct patch for sync-exec, as the child_process.execSync function provided in Node.js v0.12.0 and later provides the same functionality natively.
The best mitigation currently is to update to Node.js v0.12.0 or later, and migrate all uses of sync-exec to child_process.execSync().
- Record
GHSA-38h8-x697-gh8q- CVSS 3.0
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-377
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
sync-execnpm |
through 0.6.2 | None known |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| 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-2017-16024 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 6.5) in Sync-exec Project Sync-exec, published June 4, 2018. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 2.52%, the 84th percentile. No source names a fixed version.