# CVE-2019-15599: tree-kill command injection on Windows

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2019-15599-tree-kill-command-injection-on-windows  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2020-09-04. Updated: 2026-09-25  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2019-15599 · Severity: info · CVSS 0 · Published 2020-09-04

tree-kill is a Node.js library used to terminate processes and their child processes. Versions before 1.2.2 fail to properly sanitize user input passed to the kill function on Windows systems, allowing an attacker to inject and execute arbitrary shell commands with the privileges of the application using the library.

Technologies: [tree-kill (npm)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/tree-kill). Vendors: [npm](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/npm).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2019-15599 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2019-15599 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2019-15599?** Informational severity, with a CVSS score of 0, published 4 September 2020.

**Which products and versions are affected?** tree-kill (npm) < 1.2.2.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2019-15599?** A patch was published on 1.2.2: Fix released with improved sanitization and tests Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2019-15599 attacked?** It is attacked with local access.

**Am I affected by CVE-2019-15599?** Check whether you run tree-kill (npm) at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Technical details

The vulnerability is a command injection flaw (CWE-94) in the tree-kill npm package prior to version 1.2.2. The kill function fails to properly sanitize process IDs or other values passed to it before constructing and executing shell commands. On Windows systems, unsanitized user-controlled input can be injected into the command string, allowing execution of arbitrary commands. The attack requires the application to pass untrusted input to tree-kill's kill function. The vulnerability was patched in version 1.2.2 with improved input sanitization and additional test coverage.

## Affected products

- npm tree-kill < 1.2.2

## Identifiers

- CVE-2019-15599
- GHSA-884p-74jh-xrg2

## Timeline

- 2020-09-04: disclosed
- 1.2.2: patched: Fix released with improved sanitization and tests

## References

- [https://github.com/pkrumins/node-tree-kill/commit/deee138a8cbc918463d8af5ce8c2bec33c3fd164](https://github.com/pkrumins/node-tree-kill/commit/deee138a8cbc918463d8af5ce8c2bec33c3fd164)

## Related threats

- [tree-kill code injection on Windows](https://junglewise.ai/threats/tree-kill-code-injection-on-windows-83b0ec74)
- [tree-kill OS command injection](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2019-15598-tree-kill-os-command-injection)