@actions/core has Delimiter Injection Vulnerability in exportVariable

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS

5.0 · CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:N

EPSS

• CVE-2022-35954: 0.70% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 53.37 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Impact The core.exportVariable function uses a well known delimiter that attackers can use to break out of that specific variable and assign values to other arbitrary variables. Workflows that write untrusted values to the GITHUBENV file may cause the path or other environment variables to be modified without the intention of the workflow or action author. Patches Users should upgrade to @actions/core v1.9.1. Workarounds If you are unable to upgrade the @actions/core package, you can modify your action to ensure that any user input does not contain the delimiter GitHubActionsFileCommandDelimeter before calling core.exportVariable. References More information about setting-an-environment-variable in workflows If you have any questions or comments about this advisory: Open an issue in actions/toolkit

Published by the source

18 Aug 2022, 19:01 UTC

Last modified by the source

8 Nov 2023, 04:09 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 12:17 UTC

1. Revision 2 · amended · 26 Oct 2026

   Amended from ghsa record GHSA-7r3h-m5j6-3q42

2. Revision 1 · created · 24 Oct 2026

   Published from osv record GHSA-7r3h-m5j6-3q42

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2022-35954

Advisory: @actions/core has Delimiter Injection Vulnerability in exportVariable
IDs: CVE-2022-35954, GHSA-7r3h-m5j6-3q42
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2022-35954 (revision 2, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 12:17 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Medium (CVSS 5.0)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: @actions/core 1.9.1. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- npm @actions/core: affected <= 1.9.0; fixed in 1.9.1

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- `npm ls @actions/core --all`: lists every installed copy and version, including transitive ones. Run in the project root after `npm ci`.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on @actions/core.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-7r3h-m5j6-3q42 (OSV record GHSA-7r3h-m5j6-3q42 lists affected ranges: npm @actions/core >=0 <1.9.1 (fixed))
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-7r3h-m5j6-3q42 (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-7r3h-m5j6-3q42 lists affected ranges: npm @actions/core >=0 <=1.9.0)

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