CVE-2018-21268
The traceroute (aka node-traceroute) package through 1.0.0 for Node.js allows remote command injection via the host parameter.
Does this matter?
High impact if exploited, but EPSS currently rates exploitation as unlikely (4.29%). Schedule it in the normal patch cycle and watch for a rise in EPSS or a public exploit.
Description
The traceroute (aka node-traceroute) package through 1.0.0 for Node.js allows remote command injection via the host parameter. This occurs because the Child.exec() method, which is considered to be not entirely safe, is used. In particular, an OS command can be placed after a newline character.
- CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 CRITICALCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS
- 4.29% probability · 91th percentile
- Public exploits
- None in Exploit-DB
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-74
- Affected
- traceroute project/traceroute
- Source
- cve@mitre.org
EPSS 4.3% since 27 October 2026; no change recorded yet. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
References
- https://github.com/jaw187/node-traceroute/commit/b99ee024a01a40d3d20a92ad3769cc78a3f6386fPatch, Third Party Advisory
- https://github.com/jaw187/node-traceroute/tagsThird Party Advisory
- https://medium.com/%40shay_62828/shell-command-injection-through-traceroute-npm-package-a4cf7b6553e3
- https://snyk.io/vuln/npm:traceroute:20160311Exploit, Third Party Advisory
- https://www.linkedin.com/posts/op-innovate_shell-command-injection-through-traceroute-activity-6678956453086191616-RcpyThird Party Advisory
- https://www.npmjs.com/advisories/1465Third Party Advisory
- https://www.npmjs.com/package/tracerouteProduct, Third Party Advisory
- https://www.op-c.net/2020/06/17/shell-command-injection-through-traceroute-npm-package/Exploit, Third Party Advisory
- https://github.com/jaw187/node-traceroute/commit/b99ee024a01a40d3d20a92ad3769cc78a3f6386fPatch, Third Party Advisory
- https://github.com/jaw187/node-traceroute/tagsThird Party Advisory
- https://medium.com/%40shay_62828/shell-command-injection-through-traceroute-npm-package-a4cf7b6553e3
- https://snyk.io/vuln/npm:traceroute:20160311Exploit, Third Party Advisory
- https://www.linkedin.com/posts/op-innovate_shell-command-injection-through-traceroute-activity-6678956453086191616-RcpyThird Party Advisory
- https://www.npmjs.com/advisories/1465Third Party Advisory
- https://www.npmjs.com/package/tracerouteProduct, Third Party Advisory
- https://www.op-c.net/2020/06/17/shell-command-injection-through-traceroute-npm-package/Exploit, Third Party Advisory
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.