# CVE-2026-82393: pnpm tarball dependency manifest name path traversal arbitrary file write

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-82393-pnpm-tarball-dependency-manifest-name-path-traversal-arbitrary  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-08-31. Updated: 2026-09-25  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-82393 · Severity: high · CVSS 7.5 · Published 2026-08-31

pnpm is a package manager used by developers to install and manage JavaScript dependencies. A flaw in pnpm's package resolution allows an attacker to craft a malicious tarball with a specially crafted package name that can write or overwrite arbitrary files outside the project directory (e.g., shell configuration files, Git hooks, or other packages' code) when a developer runs `pnpm install`, even with safety flags enabled. This could lead to code execution and compromise of the developer's machine or build pipeline.

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

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-82393 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-82393 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-82393?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 7.5, published 31 August 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** pnpm (npm) SEMVER:introduced=0,fixed=10.34.5.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-82393?** Yes. pnpm (npm): upgrade to 10.34.5 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-82393 attacked?** It is attacked over the network.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-82393?** 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 10.34.5 or later

  ```sh
  npm install pnpm@10.34.5
  ```


## Technical details

The vulnerability is a path traversal / directory escape (CWE-22) in pnpm's dependency resolution logic. The isolated-linker import target is constructed using `path.join(modules, <resolved name>)` in three locations (`resolvePeers.ts:706`, `index.ts:614`, `lockfileToDepGraph.ts:233`) without the `safeJoinModulesDir` guard that protects other path-construction sites. A malicious tarball's `package.json` can declare a scoped name containing path traversal sequences (e.g., `@x/../../…/<abs path>`), bypassing the validate-name check that only rejects unscoped names with `/`. When pnpm installs this dependency, the traversal escapes the `node_modules/.pnpm/<id>/node_modules/` directory boundary and reaches an attacker-specified absolute path, enabling overwrite of arbitrary files. The attack succeeds during `pnpm install --ignore-scripts`, defeating that mitigation. An attacker controls destination, filenames, and file contents, enabling code execution via shell initialization files, Git hooks, or other packages' code. Patches apply `safeJoinModulesDir` to the affected join calls and enforce `validate-npm-package-name` on resolved manifest names to reject traversal attempts before any write.

## Affected products

- pnpm pnpm < 10.34.5, >= 11.0.0 < 11.11.0

## Identifiers

- CVE-2026-82393
- GHSA-vq4v-j7r6-jq4m

## Timeline

- 2026-08-02: disclosed: GitHub Security Advisory published
- 2026-07-09: patched: Patch commits 51300fd and 78e29fe merged
- 2026-09-02: advisory: GHSA-vq4v-j7r6-jq4m formally published

## References

- [https://github.com/pnpm/pnpm/security/advisories/GHSA-vq4v-j7r6-jq4m](https://github.com/pnpm/pnpm/security/advisories/GHSA-vq4v-j7r6-jq4m)
- [https://github.com/pnpm/pnpm/pull/12872](https://github.com/pnpm/pnpm/pull/12872)
- [https://github.com/pnpm/pnpm/pull/12890](https://github.com/pnpm/pnpm/pull/12890)
- [https://github.com/pnpm/pnpm/commit/51300fd41c5e4c8f47635108e373cc3d1f324fa7](https://github.com/pnpm/pnpm/commit/51300fd41c5e4c8f47635108e373cc3d1f324fa7)
- [https://github.com/pnpm/pnpm/commit/78e29fe5583a1e5d69ea05e414eff310f78d5ed9](https://github.com/pnpm/pnpm/commit/78e29fe5583a1e5d69ea05e414eff310f78d5ed9)

## 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 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)
- [pnpm path traversal in configDependencies symlink creation](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-59195-pnpm-path-traversal-in-configdependencies-symlink-creation)