CVE-2021-23378Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Arbitrary command execution via unsanitized speech text

Published Apr 18, 2021 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

Command injection in picotts 0.1.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary operating-system commands via crafted speech text. The say function passes attacker-controlled text to child_process.exec without sanitizing shell metacharacters. Exploitation requires an application to pass untrusted text into say, after which commands run with the privileges of the hosting Node.js process.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability1.94%
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 picotts 0.1.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary operating-system commands via crafted speech text. The say function passes attacker-controlled text to child_process.exec without sanitizing shell metacharacters. Exploitation requires an application to pass untrusted text into say, after which commands run with the privileges of the hosting Node.js process.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-23378
Published
Apr 18, 2021
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-78, CWE-77, T1059
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 18, 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

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

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

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

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-78Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')
CWE-77Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command ('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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