CVE-2021-23356Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Arbitrary command execution via unsanitized process name

Published Mar 15, 2021 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

Command injection in rwolf449 kill-process-by-name 1.0.5 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands. The exported function passes its process-name argument to child_process.exec in index.js without sanitizing shell metacharacters. Exploitation requires a consuming application to pass attacker-controlled input to the library, after which commands run with the application's OS privileges.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability1.15%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Command injection in rwolf449 kill-process-by-name 1.0.5 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands. The exported function passes its process-name argument to child_process.exec in index.js without sanitizing shell metacharacters. Exploitation requires a consuming application to pass attacker-controlled input to the library, after which commands run with the application's OS privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-23356
Published
Mar 15, 2021
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
rwolf449
Product
kill-process-by-name
Classifications
CWE-77, CWE-78, T1059
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?

rwolf449 · kill-process-by-nameversion=0 <unspecified

Published CVSS scores

5.6SnykCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
9.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.5NIST NVDAV: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.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 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')
T1059Command and Scripting Interpreter

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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