CVE-2025-13437Public exploit

External node_modules deletion via cleanup target confusion

Published Nov 20, 2025 · Updated Nov 20, 2025

Path resolution error in zx before 8.8.5 allows local users to delete an external node_modules directory via --prefer-local. The linkNodeModules function returns the resolved target rather than the symlink alias, so cleanup recursively removes the target directory. Exploitation requires a user or user-triggered process to invoke the CLI with a crafted external path, causing dependency loss and potentially interrupting builds.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
EPSS probability0.09%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Path resolution error in zx before 8.8.5 allows local users to delete an external node_modules directory via --prefer-local. The linkNodeModules function returns the resolved target rather than the symlink alias, so cleanup recursively removes the target directory. Exploitation requires a user or user-triggered process to invoke the CLI with a crafted external path, causing dependency loss and potentially interrupting builds.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-13437
Published
Nov 20, 2025
Updated
Nov 20, 2025
Vendor
Google
Product
zx
Classifications
CWE-706, T1485
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 20, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 20, 2025Record 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=8.8.4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Google · zxversion=8.8.4

Published CVSS scores

5.6GitHub Advisory DatabaseCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:N/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:H/SA:H/E:U

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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-706Use of Incorrectly-Resolved Name or Reference
T1485Data Destruction

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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