CVE-2026-110634 in git-diff
Summary
by MITRE • 10/14/2026
git-diff before 2.0.7 contains an OS command injection vulnerability that allows attackers to execute shell commands by supplying crafted strings to the gitDiff API. Attackers who control a diffed document string can embed $(cmd) or backtick substitutions that shelljs.exec evaluates, running commands with Node.js process privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/14/2026
The vulnerability identified in versions of git-diff prior to 2.0.7 represents a critical OS command injection flaw rooted in the improper handling of user-supplied input within diff processing operations. This security defect specifically affects applications that utilize the gitDiff API, which is designed to compute differences between files or text strings. The core technical issue arises from how the library processes these inputs when passing them to underlying system execution mechanisms. Specifically, the vulnerability leverages the shelljs.exec function, a Node.js utility used for executing shell commands. When an attacker controls the string being diffed and injects malicious payloads such as command substitution syntax like $(cmd) or backtick-enclosed commands, these strings are not adequately sanitized before being passed to the shell interpreter. Consequently, instead of treating the input purely as data for comparison purposes, the underlying execution engine interprets it as executable code, leading to arbitrary command execution with the privileges of the Node.js process running the application.
From a technical perspective, this flaw is classified under CWE-78, which denotes Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command, commonly known as OS Command Injection. The attack vector relies on the attacker's ability to influence the content being diffed, whether through direct API input or by manipulating files that are subsequently processed by the library. By embedding shell metacharacters and command substitution patterns within the document string, the attacker bypasses any intended data-only context of the git-diff operation. The shelljs.exec function then parses these embedded commands and executes them directly on the host operating system. This behavior violates the principle of least privilege if the Node.js process runs with elevated permissions, potentially allowing full compromise of the underlying server or development environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, as it enables remote code execution without authentication in scenarios where untrusted input can be submitted to the gitDiff API. An attacker could exploit this flaw to exfiltrate sensitive data from the host system, install malware, pivot to other internal network resources, or disrupt service availability by executing destructive commands. In web applications or CI/CD pipelines that rely on git-diff for code review automation or deployment verification, this vulnerability can lead to complete infrastructure compromise if the application server has broad file system access or network connectivity. The severity is further amplified because many developers may assume that libraries handling version control data are safe from injection attacks due to their focus on text processing rather than command execution.
To mitigate this risk, organizations must immediately upgrade git-diff to version 2.0.7 or later, where the issue has been resolved through improved input validation and safer execution practices. For applications unable to update promptly, a temporary workaround involves avoiding the use of shelljs.exec for any operations involving user-controlled data. Instead, developers should utilize Node.js built-in modules such as child_process.spawn with array-based argument passing, which prevents shell interpretation of special characters by bypassing the command line interpreter entirely. Additionally implementing strict input validation to reject strings containing shell metacharacters like backticks or dollar signs can provide an additional layer of defense. This vulnerability aligns with MITRE ATT&CK technique T1059, Command and Scripting Interpreter, specifically highlighting how attackers leverage scripting environments to execute arbitrary commands on compromised systems.