CVE-2026-15895 in jsii
Summary
by MITRE • 07/15/2026
OS command injection in the npm package loading component in AWS jsii-diff before 1.131.0 might allow context-dependent attackers to execute arbitrary commands via crafted package specifiers passed to the npm: source argument.
To mitigate this issue, users should upgrade to jsii-diff v1.131.0 or later.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/15/2026
The vulnerability identified in the aws jsii-diff npm package represents a critical command injection flaw that exists within the package loading component of the jsii-diff utility prior to version 1.131.0. This issue arises from insufficient input validation and sanitization when processing package specifiers passed through the npm source argument, creating a pathway for malicious actors to execute arbitrary commands on systems where the vulnerable component is utilized. The flaw operates as a context-dependent attack vector, meaning that successful exploitation requires specific conditions related to how the package loading mechanism processes user-provided inputs.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of package specification strings within the npm package loading logic. When jsii-diff processes package specifiers through the npm: source argument, it fails to adequately sanitize or escape special characters that could be interpreted as shell commands by the underlying operating system. This allows attackers to inject malicious command sequences that bypass normal security boundaries and execute with the privileges of the user running the jsii-diff utility. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-78, which specifically addresses OS Command Injection flaws in software systems.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to development environments and CI/CD pipelines where jsii-diff is commonly employed for comparing interface definitions between different versions of AWS CDK libraries. Attackers who can influence package specifications passed to the tool could potentially execute arbitrary commands on build servers, developer machines, or deployment environments. The impact extends beyond immediate command execution to potential privilege escalation scenarios where attackers might gain access to sensitive system resources or data. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for executing operating system commands and represents a serious threat to software supply chain security.
The mitigation strategy requires immediate upgrading to jsii-diff version 1.131.0 or later, which includes proper input validation and sanitization mechanisms that prevent malicious command injection attempts. Organizations should also implement additional safeguards such as restricting npm package installations from untrusted sources, monitoring for unusual command execution patterns, and conducting regular security assessments of development toolchains. The fix addresses the root cause by implementing robust input filtering that treats package specifiers as data rather than executable commands, thereby preventing the exploitation of this vulnerability through crafted package identifiers.