CVE-2026-76230 in Renovate
Summary
by MITRE • 08/19/2026
Renovate versions from 35.63.0 before 40.33.0 contain a command injection vulnerability in the npm manager where user-provided packageName values are appended to npm install commands without proper sanitization. Attackers with repository write access can craft malicious Renovate configuration files to execute arbitrary commands on the machine running Renovate.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/19/2026
The identified security flaw resides within the package update automation tool Renovate, specifically affecting versions ranging from 35.63.0 up to but not including 40.33.0. This vulnerability is classified as a command injection issue that impacts the npm manager component of the application. The core technical deficiency lies in how the software handles user-provided input for package names during installation processes. When Renovate attempts to install or update packages via its internal npm integration, it constructs shell commands by concatenating the provided packageName value directly into the execution string without implementing adequate sanitization or validation mechanisms. This lack of proper encoding allows special characters and command separators embedded within the package name to be interpreted as executable instructions rather than literal data strings.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe for organizations utilizing Renovate in their software supply chain management workflows. An attacker who possesses write access to a repository managed by Renovate can exploit this flaw by crafting malicious configuration files or pull requests that contain specially crafted package names. Upon processing these configurations, the vulnerable version of Renovate will execute arbitrary operating system commands on the host machine where the automation agent is running. This capability effectively grants an unauthenticated or low-privilege attacker full control over the underlying infrastructure, potentially leading to data exfiltration, lateral movement within the network, or complete compromise of the CI/CD pipeline environment.
From a classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-78, which defines Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command commonly known as OS Command Injection. The attack vector leverages the trust relationship between the configuration source and the execution engine, bypassing expected input validation boundaries. In terms of tactical mapping under the MITRE ATT&CK framework, this behavior corresponds to T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter, specifically involving shell commands executed through automated tools. It also relates to supply chain compromise scenarios where malicious code is introduced via trusted configuration files or dependency updates.
To mitigate this risk, organizations must immediately upgrade Renovate to version 40.33.0 or later, which includes patches for the input sanitization logic in the npm manager. Until an upgrade can be performed, it is advisable to restrict repository write access strictly to verified and trusted personnel only. Additionally, implementing strict allow-lists for package names within Renovate configurations can provide a layer of defense by preventing the injection of special characters that are not part of standard semantic versioning or registry naming conventions. Monitoring logs for unusual command execution patterns originating from the Renovate process is also recommended to detect potential exploitation attempts in real-time.