code-ollama: grep_search Command Injection via Unescaped $() Shell Substitution (CWE-78)

Exploitation

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

CVSS

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

EPSS

No dated EPSS signal available.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

grepsearch Command Injection via Unescaped $() Shell Substitution (CWE-78) Summary The grepsearch tool in code-ollama constructs a shell command string by interpolating attacker-controlled pattern and path arguments, then executes it via childprocess.exec(). The sanitization only escapes backslashes and double-quote characters, leaving $() command substitution and backtick expansion fully intact. A malicious or compromised Ollama server can therefore inject and execute arbitrary OS commands with the privileges of the local user running code-ollama. Because grepsearch is classified as a read-only tool, it auto-executes in Plan mode without any user approval prompt, making this a no-interaction-required exploitation path. Severity is High (CVSS 7.8). Details Vulnerable sink — src/utils/tools/filesystem/grep.ts:58-66 Only \ and " are neutralized. The shell metacharacter sequence $() (and backtick-style substitution) is passed through unmodified. The resulting string is passed to…

Published by the source

28 Sep 2026, 13:59 UTC

Last modified by the source

28 Sep 2026, 14:15 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 13:02 UTC

1. Revision 3 · amended · 26 Oct 2026

   Amended from ghsa record GHSA-456v-xq2p-r4cj

2. Revision 2 · amended · 24 Oct 2026

   Amended from osv record GHSA-456v-xq2p-r4cj

3. Revision 1 · created · 23 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-456v-xq2p-r4cj

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# Patch Next advisory brief: GHSA-456v-xq2p-r4cj

Advisory: code-ollama: `grep_search` Command Injection via Unescaped `$()` Shell Substitution (CWE-78)
IDs: GHSA-456v-xq2p-r4cj
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/ghsa-456v-xq2p-r4cj (revision 3, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 13:02 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: High (CVSS 7.8)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: code-ollama 0.36.1. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- npm code-ollama: affected <= 0.36.0; fixed in 0.36.1

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- `npm ls code-ollama --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 code-ollama.
- 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://github.com/advisories/GHSA-456v-xq2p-r4cj (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-456v-xq2p-r4cj lists affected ranges: npm code-ollama >=0 <=0.36.0)
- Verified: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-456v-xq2p-r4cj (OSV record GHSA-456v-xq2p-r4cj lists affected ranges: npm code-ollama >=0 <0.36.1 (fixed))

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