pnpm: patch-remove could delete project-selected files outside the patches directory

Exploitation

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

CVSS

7.1 · CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L

EPSS

• CVE-2026-59194: 0.40% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 34.45 (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.

Summary The patch-remove deletion-scope issue tracked as GHSA-72r4-9c5j-mj57 / CAND-PNPM-030 has been addressed in pnpm. A crafted patch entry could resolve outside the configured patches directory and cause pnpm patch-remove to delete an arbitrary reachable file. This patch validates the configured directory and every resolved target before unlinking anything, then deletes the final directory entry without following it. Security boundary - Traversal and absolute paths that resolve outside the configured patches directory are rejected before deletion. - Parent directories are canonicalized before deletion, including the case where a nested symlink points outside and the final outside entry is itself dangling. - The complete batch is validated before any file is removed. - Component-aware predicates accept valid names beginning with .. while still rejecting parent traversal, Windows drive escapes, and UNC escapes. - Valid files and symlinked patch directories whose canonical targets…

Published by the source

27 Jun 2026, 00:12 UTC

Last modified by the source

8 Jul 2026, 08:27 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 12:56 UTC

1. Revision 2 · amended · 26 Oct 2026

   Amended from ghsa record GHSA-72r4-9c5j-mj57

2. Revision 1 · created · 24 Oct 2026

   Published from osv record GHSA-72r4-9c5j-mj57

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2026-59194

Advisory: pnpm: `patch-remove` could delete project-selected files outside the patches directory
IDs: CVE-2026-59194, GHSA-72r4-9c5j-mj57
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2026-59194 (revision 2, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 12:56 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: High (CVSS 7.1)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: pnpm 11.7.0, 10.34.4. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- npm pnpm: affected < 10.34.4; >= 11.0.0, < 11.7.0; fixed in 10.34.4, 11.7.0

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- `npm ls pnpm --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 pnpm.
- 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-72r4-9c5j-mj57 (OSV record GHSA-72r4-9c5j-mj57 lists affected ranges: npm pnpm >=0 =11.0.0 <11.7.0 (fixed))
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-72r4-9c5j-mj57 (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-72r4-9c5j-mj57 lists affected ranges: npm pnpm >=0 =11.0.0 <11.7.0)

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