# CVE-2026-50015: pnpm path traversal in patch application pipeline

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-50015-pnpm-path-traversal-in-patch-application-pipeline  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-06-25. Updated: 2026-06-26  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-50015 · Severity: high · CVSS 7.3 · Published 2026-06-25

pnpm, a popular JavaScript package manager, is vulnerable to a security flaw in how it handles custom software patches. An attacker could submit a malicious patch file to a project that, when processed during a standard installation command, allows them to overwrite or delete sensitive files on the user's computer. This could lead to a full system compromise, such as by replacing security keys or modifying system configuration files.

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

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-50015 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-50015 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-50015?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 7.3, published 25 June 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** pnpm (npm) SEMVER:introduced=0,fixed=10.34.0.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-50015?** Yes. pnpm (npm): upgrade to 10.34.0 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-50015 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-50015?** Check whether you run pnpm (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.

## How to fix

- pnpm (npm): upgrade to 10.34.0 or later

  ```sh
  npm install pnpm@10.34.0
  ```


## Technical details

A path traversal vulnerability exists in pnpm's `@pnpm/patch-package` library due to insufficient validation of file paths in `.patch` files. The vulnerability occurs in the `applyPatchToDir` function where the patch parser extracts paths from `diff --git` headers using a regular expression without sanitizing for `../` sequences. An attacker can exploit this by providing a malicious patch file via a pull request; when a user runs `pnpm install`, the `executeEffects` function in `apply.js` uses these unsanitized paths to perform `fs.writeFileSync` or `fs.unlinkSync` operations. This allows for arbitrary file creation, modification, or deletion with the privileges of the user running the install. The issue is fixed in versions 10.34.0 and 11.4.0.

## Affected products

- pnpm pnpm < 10.34.0, >= 11.0.0 < 11.4.0

## Identifiers

- CVE-2026-50015
- GHSA-rxhj-4m44-96r4

## Timeline

- 2026-05-28: disclosed
- 2026-06-25: advisory: NVD publication date
- 2026-06-26: patched: GitHub Advisory reviewed and updated with patched versions

## References

- [https://api.github.com/users/tempcollab](https://api.github.com/users/tempcollab)
- [https://github.com/tempcollab](https://github.com/tempcollab)
- [https://api.github.com/users/tempcollab/gists%7B/gist_id%7D](https://api.github.com/users/tempcollab/gists%7B/gist_id%7D)
- [https://api.github.com/users/tempcollab/repos](https://api.github.com/users/tempcollab/repos)
- [https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/86631197?v=4](https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/86631197?v=4)
- [https://api.github.com/users/tempcollab/events%7B/privacy%7D](https://api.github.com/users/tempcollab/events%7B/privacy%7D)

## Related threats

- [pnpm environment secret exfiltration via proxy settings in workspace manifest](https://junglewise.ai/threats/pnpm-environment-secret-exfiltration-via-proxy-settings-in-workspace-f6626cca)
- [pnpm pacquet path traversal in lockfile dependency symlinks](https://junglewise.ai/threats/pnpm-pacquet-path-traversal-in-lockfile-dependency-symlinks-dc3f81d1)
- [pnpm tarball dependency manifest name path traversal arbitrary file write](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-82393-pnpm-tarball-dependency-manifest-name-path-traversal-arbitrary)
- [pnpm virtual store linker path traversal via unvalidated depPath](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-82392-pnpm-virtual-store-linker-path-traversal-via-unvalidated-deppath)
- [pnpm path traversal via crafted lockfile alias](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-59196-pnpm-path-traversal-via-crafted-lockfile-alias)