CVE-2021-23355
Arbitrary Command Injection
This affects all versions of package ps-kill. If (attacker-controlled) user input is given to the kill function, it is possible for an attacker to execute arbitrary commands. This is due to use of the child_process exec function without input sanitization in the index.js file. PoC (provided by reporter): var ps_kill = require('ps-kill'); ps_kill.kill('$(touch success)',function(){});
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- High
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- Low
- Integrity
- Low
- Availability
- Low
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
5.6
Arbitrary Command Injection
This affects all versions of package ps-kill. If (attacker-controlled) user input is given to the kill function, it is possible for an attacker to execute arbitrary commands. This is due to use of the child_process exec function without input sanitization in the index.js file. PoC (provided by reporter): var ps_kill = require('ps-kill'); ps_kill.kill('$(touch success)',function(){});
- Record
CVE-2021-23355- CVSS 3.1
- 5.6 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L/E:P - Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2021-0626
5.6
This affects all versions of package ps-kill. If (attacker-controlled) user input is given to the kill function, it is possible for an attacker to execute arbitrary commands. This is due to use of the child_process exec function without input sanitization in the index.js file. PoC (provided by reporter): var ps_kill = require('ps-kill'); ps_kill.kill('$(touch success)',function(){});
- Record
EUVD-2021-0626- CVSS 3.1
- 5.6 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L/E:P - Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-7qmm-q394-fmch
9.8
Command Injection in ps-kill
This affects all versions of package ps-kill. If (attacker-controlled) user input is given to the kill function, it is possible for an attacker to execute arbitrary commands. This is due to use of the child_process exec function without input sanitization in the index.js file.
PoC (provided by reporter):
var ps_kill = require('ps-kill');
ps_kill.kill('$(touch success)', function() {});
- Record
GHSA-7qmm-q394-fmch- CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-77
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
5.6
This affects all versions of package ps-kill. If (attacker-controlled) user input is given to the kill function, it is possible for an attacker to execute arbitrary commands. This is due to use of the child_process exec function without input sanitization in the index.js file. PoC (provided by reporter): var ps_kill = require('ps-kill'); ps_kill.kill('$(touch success)',function(){});
- Record
CVE-2021-23355- CVSS 3.1
- 5.6 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L - CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 7.5 High
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P - Weakness
- CWE-78
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-7qmm-q394-fmch
9.8
Command Injection in ps-kill
This affects all versions of package ps-kill. If (attacker-controlled) user input is given to the kill function, it is possible for an attacker to execute arbitrary commands. This is due to use of the child_process exec function without input sanitization in the index.js file.
PoC (provided by reporter):
var ps_kill = require('ps-kill');
ps_kill.kill('$(touch success)', function() {});
- Record
GHSA-7qmm-q394-fmch- CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-77
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
ps-killnpm |
through 1.0.0 | None known |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases, published | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2021-23355 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 5.6) in Ps-kill Project Ps-kill, published March 15, 2021. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.20%, the 68th percentile. No source names a fixed version.