High

Budibase: Command Injection in Bash Automation Step

  • Disclosed: 03.04.2026
  • Updated: 11.10.2026 10:22

Location: packages/server/src/automations/steps/bash.ts

Description

The bash automation step executes user-provided commands using execSync without proper sanitization or validation. User input is processed through processStringSync which allows template interpolation, potentially allowing arbitrary command execution.

Code Reference

21
    const command = processStringSync(inputs.code, context)

    let stdout,
      success = true
    try {
      stdout = execSync(command, {
        timeout: environment.QUERY_THREAD_TIMEOUT,
      }).toString()

Attack Vector

An attacker with access to create or modify automations can inject malicious shell commands by including template syntax that evaluates to command injection payloads (e.g., $(rm -rf /), ; malicious-command, | malicious-command).

Impact

  • Remote code execution (RCE)
  • Complete system compromise
  • Data exfiltration
  • Lateral movement within the infrastructure

Recommendation

  1. Immediate: Disable bash automation step in production until fixed
  2. Implement a whitelist of allowed commands
  3. Use parameterized command execution with proper escaping
  4. Implement command argument validation
  5. Consider using a restricted shell or command sandboxing
  6. Add rate limiting and monitoring for command execution

Example Fix

ts
import { spawn } from "child_process"

// Validate against whitelist
const ALLOWED_COMMANDS = ["echo", "date", "pwd"] // Extend as needed

function sanitizeCommand(input: string): string {
  // Remove dangerous characters and command chaining
  return input.replace(/[;&|`$(){}[\]]/g, "").trim()
}

function validateCommand(cmd: string): boolean {
  const parts = cmd.split(/\s+/)
  return ALLOWED_COMMANDS.includes(parts[0])
}

export async function run({ inputs, context }) {
  if (!inputs.code) {
    return { stdout: "Budibase bash automation failed: Invalid inputs" }
  }

  const processedCommand = processStringSync(inputs.code, context)
  const sanitized = sanitizeCommand(processedCommand)
  
  if (!validateCommand(sanitized)) {
    return {
      success: false,
      stdout: "Command not allowed"
    }
  }

  // Use spawn instead of execSync with proper argument handling
  return new Promise((resolve) => {
    const [command, ...args] = sanitized.split(/\s+/)
    const proc = spawn(command, args, {
      timeout: environment.QUERY_THREAD_TIMEOUT,
    })
    
    let stdout = ""
    proc.stdout.on("data", (data) => { stdout += data })
    proc.on("close", (code) => {
      resolve({ stdout, success: code === 0 })
    })
  })
}

Affected software

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PlatformPackageVulnerable versionsFixed in
npm package @budibase/server < 3.33.4 3.33.4

References

CVSS score 8.8/10
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness (CWE)
CWE-78
Platform
npm
Package
@budibase/server
Disclosed
03.04.2026
Updated
11.10.2026 10:22

Sources and licenses

OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-gjw9-34gf-rp6m - CC BY 4.0

Vulnerability history: @budibase/server

All published vulnerabilities of this package (npm package), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.

All (42) in the archive
Total entries
42
First → latest
03.2024 08.2026
Without a fix
19
Exploited in attacks
0

Severity breakdown

  • Critical 8
  • High 27
  • Medium 7

Disclosures per year

  1. 2024: 1
  2. 2025: 0
  3. 2026: 41
Severity:
  1. High · 8.5 CVE-2026-73410 <= 3.38.1 no fix
  2. Critical · 9.6 CVE-2026-73300 <= 3.38.1 no fix
  3. Budibase: Command Injection in Bash Automation Step this entry
    High · 8.8 CVE-2026-25044 < 3.33.4 3.33.4
  4. Critical · 9.8 ghsa-4g2x-vq5p-5vj6 < 2.20.0 2.20.0

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