CVE-2021-23355Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Arbitrary command execution via unsanitized process identifier

Published Mar 15, 2021 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

OS command injection in ps-kill 1.0.0 and earlier allows attackers to execute arbitrary commands through a crafted process identifier. The kill function in index.js concatenates its process identifier into a shell command passed to child_process.exec without validation or shell escaping. Reachability depends on a consuming Node.js application passing attacker-controlled input to kill; successful exploitation runs commands with that application's privileges.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability1.20%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

OS command injection in ps-kill 1.0.0 and earlier allows attackers to execute arbitrary commands through a crafted process identifier. The kill function in index.js concatenates its process identifier into a shell command passed to child_process.exec without validation or shell escaping. Reachability depends on a consuming Node.js application passing attacker-controlled input to kill; successful exploitation runs commands with that application's privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-23355
Published
Mar 15, 2021
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
ps-kill project
Product
ps-kill
Classifications
CWE-77, CWE-78, T1059.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 15, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 16, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <unspecified

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

ps-kill project · ps-killversion=0 <unspecified

Published CVSS scores

9.8GitHub Advisory DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
5.6SnykCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
5.3SnykCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L/E:P
9.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.5NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-77Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command ('Command Injection')
CWE-78Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')
T1059.004Unix Shell

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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