pnpm: Path traversal in configDependencies env lockfile allows symlink creation outside node_modules/.pnpm-config

Exploitation

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

CVSS

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

EPSS

• CVE-2026-59195: 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 pnpm accepts package names from the env lockfile configDependencies section and uses those names directly when creating config dependency symlinks under nodemodules/.pnpm-config. A malicious repository can commit a crafted pnpm-lock.yaml whose env-lockfile document contains a traversal-shaped config dependency name such as ../../PWNEDCFGDEP. During pnpm install, pnpm installs the config dependency and creates a symlink at a path derived from that name. In local testing against pnpm v11.5.1, this caused pnpm to create a symlink outside the intended config dependency directory: This works with --ignore-scripts, so it does not rely on lifecycle script execution. Vulnerable behavior The vulnerable behavior appears to be that configDependencies keys from the env lockfile are trusted as package names and used in filesystem paths without rejecting traversal components. The relevant pattern is: If pkgName is attacker-controlled and contains .., then path.join(configModulesDir,…

Published by the source

27 Jun 2026, 00:13 UTC

Last modified by the source

8 Jul 2026, 08:26 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 12:56 UTC

1. Revision 2 · amended · 26 Oct 2026

   Amended from ghsa record GHSA-qrv3-253h-g69c

2. Revision 1 · created · 24 Oct 2026

   Published from osv record GHSA-qrv3-253h-g69c

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2026-59195

Advisory: pnpm: Path traversal in configDependencies env lockfile allows symlink creation outside node_modules/.pnpm-config
IDs: CVE-2026-59195, GHSA-qrv3-253h-g69c
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2026-59195 (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 8.2)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: pnpm 11.8.0, 10.34.4. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- npm pnpm: affected < 10.34.4; >= 11.0.0, < 11.8.0; fixed in 10.34.4, 11.8.0

## 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-qrv3-253h-g69c (OSV record GHSA-qrv3-253h-g69c lists affected ranges: npm pnpm >=0 =11.0.0 <11.8.0 (fixed))
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-qrv3-253h-g69c (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-qrv3-253h-g69c lists affected ranges: npm pnpm >=0 =11.0.0 <11.8.0)

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