CVE-2018-3772: Command Injection in whereis
Summary
CVE-2018-3772: Command Injection in whereis. Affects whereis versions < 0.4.1. Fixed in 0.4.1. How to fix ↓
Check if this vulnerability affects your application
Upload a manifest or SBOM and we'll show whether you're affected, plus every other risky package in the same scan.
No signup required · Results in about 60 seconds
Background
The whereis package is an npm package that provides a command-line utility to locate the binary, source, and manual page files for a given command. It is commonly used to find the location of executable files in Unix-like operating systems. The package is vulnerable to command injection if untrusted user input is passed into the whereis command.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the whereis package allows an attacker to execute arbitrary commands by injecting malicious input. This can lead to unauthorized access, data leakage, or even complete compromise of the system. The vulnerability arises due to insufficient input validation and sanitization in the whereis command.
How To Fix
Latest published version: 1.0.0 as of 22 Oct 2026
npm install whereis@1.0.0Upgrading to it may include breaking changes; the version below is the minimum fixed release for this vulnerability.
If you need the minimum change
0.4.1
This is the first release that contains the fix.
npm install whereis@0.4.1Tip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
There is no known workaround for this vulnerability. It is essential to update to the fixed version of the whereis package.
Conclusion
The whereis package before version 0.4.1 is vulnerable to command injection, which can lead to unauthorized access, data leakage, or system compromise. It is crucial to update to the fixed version to mitigate the risk. For further support on vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
See every vulnerability recorded for whereis →
FAQ
The vulnerability allows an attacker to execute arbitrary commands, potentially leading to unauthorized access, data leakage, or system compromise.
You can use the Vulert Playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability. Simply provide your package-lock.json file, and Vulert will analyze it in real-time.
No, only versions before 0.4.1 are vulnerable to this command injection issue. Updating to version 0.4.1 or later will fix the vulnerability.
There is no known public exploit for this vulnerability at the moment. However, it is crucial to update to the fixed version to prevent any potential attacks.
You can find more information about this vulnerability in the GitHub Security Advisory database at the following link: https://github.com/github/advisory-database/blob/main/advisories/github-reviewed/2018/07/GHSA-wjr4-2jgw-hmv8/GHSA-wjr4-2jgw-hmv8.json
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for whereis.
