CVE-2024-21892

Local privilege escalation via incomplete capability-set check

Published Feb 20, 2024 · Updated Apr 30, 2025

Code injection in Node.js before 18.19.1, 20.11.1, and 21.6.2 allows local users to execute code with elevated Linux privileges. The HasOnly() check in src/node_credentials.cc examines only one of two 32-bit permitted-capability words, so NODE_OPTIONS remains trusted when another capability is present. Exploitation requires a Linux Node.js executable with elevated capabilities and an unprivileged user able to influence its startup environment.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.56%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Code injection in Node.js before 18.19.1, 20.11.1, and 21.6.2 allows local users to execute code with elevated Linux privileges. The HasOnly() check in src/node_credentials.cc examines only one of two 32-bit permitted-capability words, so NODE_OPTIONS remains trusted when another capability is present. Exploitation requires a Linux Node.js executable with elevated capabilities and an unprivileged user able to influence its startup environment.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-21892
Published
Feb 20, 2024
Updated
Apr 30, 2025
Vendor
Node.js
Product
Node.js
Classifications
CWE-94, CWE-269, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 20, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 30, 2025Record 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?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=10.0 <10.*
  2. Affected versionversion=11.0 <11.*
  3. Affected versionversion=12.0 <12.*
  4. Affected versionversion=13.0 <13.*
  5. Affected versionversion=14.0 <14.*
  6. Affected versionversion=15.0 <15.*
  7. Affected versionversion=16.0 <16.*
  8. Affected versionversion=17.0 <17.*
  9. Affected versionversion=18.0.0 <=18.19.0
  10. Affected versionversion=18.0 <18.19.1
  11. Affected versionversion=19.0 <19.*
  12. Affected versionversion=20.0.0 <=20.11.0
  13. Affected versionversion=20.0 <20.11.1
  14. Affected versionversion=21.0.0 <=21.6.0
  15. Affected versionversion=21.0 <21.6.2
  16. Affected versionversion=4.0 <4.*
  17. Affected versionversion=5.0 <5.*
  18. Affected versionversion=6.0 <6.*
  19. Affected versionversion=7.0 <7.*
  20. Affected versionversion=8.0 <8.*
  21. Affected versionversion=9.0 <9.*

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Node.js · Node.jsversion=10.0 <10.*; version=11.0 <11.*; version=12.0 <12.*; version=13.0 <13.*; version=14.0 <14.*; version=15.0 <15.*; version=16.0 <16.*; version=17.0 <17.*; version=18.0.0 <=18.19.0; version=18.0 <18.19.1; version=19.0 <19.*; version=20.0.0 <=20.11.0; version=20.0 <20.11.1; version=21.0.0 <=21.6.0; version=21.0 <21.6.2; version=4.0 <4.*; version=5.0 <5.*; version=6.0 <6.*; version=7.0 <7.*; version=8.0 <8.*; version=9.0 <9.*

Published CVSS scores

7.5GitHub Advisory DatabaseCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N
7.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-94Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')
CWE-269Improper Privilege Management
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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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