CVE-2026-9277

HIGH

shell-quote `quote()` does not validate object-token shapes, allowing command injection via line terminators in `.op`

Title source: cna
STIX 2.1

Exploitation Summary

EIP tracks 1 public exploit for CVE-2026-9277. PoCs published by DylanZahedi.

AI-analyzed exploit summary This repository contains a functional exploit PoC for CVE-2026-9277, a structural command injection vulnerability in the `shell-quote` library (<= 1.8.3). The script performs recursive JSON traversal and combinatorial mutations to identify and exploit RCE vectors, with support for both in-band and out-of-band (OOB) execution.

Description

shell-quote's `quote()` function did not validate object-token inputs against the operator model used by `parse()`. The `.op` field was backslash-escaped character by character using `/(.)/g`, which in JavaScript does not match line terminators (\n, \r, U+2028, U+2029). A line terminator in `.op` therefore passed through unescaped into the output; POSIX shells treat a literal newline as a command separator, so any content after it would execute as a second command. The vulnerable code path is reachable in two ways: (1) direct construction of `{ op: '...\n...' }` from external input, and (2) via `parse(cmd, envFn)` when `envFn` returns object tokens whose `.op` is attacker-influenced. Both are documented API surface. Fixed by replacing the per-character escape with strict shape validation: `.op` must match the parser's control-operator allowlist; `{ op: 'glob', pattern }` validates `pattern` and forbids line terminators; `{ comment }` validates `comment` and forbids line terminators; any other object shape throws `TypeError`.

Exploits (1)

github WORKING POC
by DylanZahedi · pythonpoc
https://github.com/DylanZahedi/CVE-2026-9277

This repository contains a functional exploit PoC for CVE-2026-9277, a structural command injection vulnerability in the `shell-quote` library (<= 1.8.3). The script performs recursive JSON traversal and combinatorial mutations to identify and exploit RCE vectors, with support for both in-band and out-of-band (OOB) execution.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Rce
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: shell-quote library (<= 1.8.3)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Python 3.10+ · requests library · urllib3 library · target URL with vulnerable endpoint · base JSON payload for mutation
devstral-2 · analyzed Jun 15, 2026 Full analysis →

Scores

CVSS v3 8.1
EPSS 0.0055
EPSS Percentile 41.6%
Attack Vector NETWORK
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CISA SSVC

Vulnrichment
Exploitation none
Automatable no
Technical Impact total

Details

CWE
CWE-77 CWE-78
Status published
Products (2)
None/shell-quote 1.1.0 - 1.8.4
npm/shell-quote 1.1.0 - 1.8.4npm
Published May 22, 2026
Tracked Since May 22, 2026