CVE-2021-43616Public exploit

Dependency substitution via missing lockfile validation

Published Nov 13, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Insufficient lockfile validation in npm CLI 7.x and 8.x through 8.1.3 allows attackers to install dependencies not pinned by the lockfile. The npm ci path begins installation without comparing package.json dependency specifications against package-lock.json, so mismatched versions are installed instead of causing an error. Reachability requires write access to or social engineering of package.json, and npm disputes that this trust-boundary failure is a vulnerability.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability2.62%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Insufficient lockfile validation in npm CLI 7.x and 8.x through 8.1.3 allows attackers to install dependencies not pinned by the lockfile. The npm ci path begins installation without comparing package.json dependency specifications against package-lock.json, so mismatched versions are installed instead of causing an error. Reachability requires write access to or social engineering of package.json, and npm disputes that this trust-boundary failure is a vulnerability.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-43616
Published
Nov 13, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-345, T1195.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 13, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 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?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

9.8National Vulnerability DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.0UbuntuCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

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)
Vectorlocal
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-345Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity
T1195.001Compromise Software Dependencies and Development Tools

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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