CVE-2025-59046: interactive-git-checkout has a Command Injection vulnerability

Should you act?

Critical and remotely reachable

No known exploitation yet, but it is network-reachable without credentials. This signal is computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS data; it is not an editorial verdict.

• Not in CISA KEV, but CISA’s SSVC assessment records a public proof-of-concept, so attack code exists.
• EPSS 1.1%, percentile 66: FIRST’s model estimates a 1.1% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 66% of all scored CVEs (moderate). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
• Remotely reachable with no login and no user interaction. If the vulnerable service is exposed to the internet, prioritize it.
• Only applies if your dependency tree includes interactive-git-checkout (npm) <= 1.1.4, no fixed version listed. Check your lockfile, including transitive dependencies.

What it is

The npm package interactive-git-checkout is an interactive command-line tool that allows users to checkout a git branch while it prompts for the branch name on the command-line. It is available as an npm package and can be installed via npm install -g interactive-git-checkout. Versions up to and including 1.1.4 of the interactive-git-checkout tool are vulnerable to a command injection vulnerability because the software passes the branch name to the git checkout command using the Node.js child process module's exec() function without proper input validation or sanitization. Commit 8dd832dd302af287a61611f4f85e157cd1c6bb41 fixes the issue.

From the GitHub advisory

The npm package interactive-git-checkout is an interactive command-line tool that allows users to checkout a git branch while it prompts for the branch name on the command-line. It is available as an npm package and can be installed via npm install -g interactive-git-checkout.

Resources: Project's npm package: https://www.npmjs.com/package/interactive-git-checkout

Command Injection Vulnerability

The interactive-git-checkout tool is vulnerable to a command injection vulnerability because it passes the branch name to the git checkout command using the Node.js child process module's exec() function without proper input validation or sanitization.

The following vulnerable code snippets demonstrates the issue:

Weakness type: CWE-77.

Product: interactive-git-checkout (npm) · Assigned by: GitHub_M · Published: 2025-09-09

Affected and fixed versions

Severity scores

• Attack vector: network (remotely reachable)
• Attack complexity: low
• Privileges required: none (no login)
• User interaction: none
• Scope: unchanged

CVSS measures how bad a flaw is if exploited, not how likely exploitation is. Read it next to the exploitation data below.

Exploitation and urgency

• CISA KEV: not listed (no confirmed in-the-wild exploitation known to CISA).
• CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation poc, automatable yes, technical impact total.
• FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 1.15% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 66.

Timeline

• 2025-09-09 — CVE record published by GitHub_M
• 2025-09-10 — CVE record last updated
• 2025-09-10 — GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-4wcm-7hjf-6xw5 published (critical)

Sources and references

Original sources first. Version and fix details should always be confirmed against the vendor or project advisory.

Vulnerability records

1. GitHub Advisory GHSA-4wcm-7hjf-6xw5 github.com
2. CVE.org record CVE-2025-59046 cve.org
3. NVD entry CVE-2025-59046 nvd.nist.gov

Other references from the CVE record and advisory

1. github.com github.com
2. github.com github.com

Critical npm advisories · Today’s Security Digest