What is CVE-2022-21235?

CVE-2022-21235 is a critical-severity command injection vulnerability in github.com/Masterminds/vcs (go), affecting versions < 1.13.2. It is fixed in 1.13.2. Untrusted input is inserted into a command that is later executed by the application, allowing the attacker to alter the intent of that command.

How severe is CVE-2022-21235?

CVE-2022-21235 has a CVSS score of 9.8 (Critical). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.

Which versions of github.com/Masterminds/vcs are affected by CVE-2022-21235?

github.com/Masterminds/vcs (go) versions < 1.13.2 is affected.

Is there a fix for CVE-2022-21235?

Yes. CVE-2022-21235 is fixed in 1.13.2. Upgrade to this version or later.

Is CVE-2022-21235 exploitable, and should I be worried?

Whether CVE-2022-21235 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk.

What actually determines whether CVE-2022-21235 is exploitable, and how bad it is?

Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.

CVE-2022-21235 in github.com/Masterminds/vcs

Q: How severe is CVE-2022-21235?

CVE-2022-21235 has a CVSS score of 9.8 (Critical). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.

Q: Which versions of github.com/Masterminds/vcs are affected by CVE-2022-21235?

github.com/Masterminds/vcs (go) versions < 1.13.2 is affected.

Q: Is there a fix for CVE-2022-21235?

Yes. CVE-2022-21235 is fixed in 1.13.2. Upgrade to this version or later.

Q: Is CVE-2022-21235 exploitable, and should I be worried?

Whether CVE-2022-21235 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk.

Q: What actually determines whether CVE-2022-21235 is exploitable, and how bad it is?

Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.

Q: How do I fix CVE-2022-21235?

Upgrade github.com/Masterminds/vcs to 1.13.2 or later.

Summary

Command Injection Vulnerability with Mercurial in VCS

URLs and local file paths passed to the Mercurial (hg) APIs that are specially crafted can contain commands which are executed by Mercurial if it is installed on the host operating system. The vcs package uses the underly version control system, in this case hg, to implement the needed functionality. When hg is executed, argument strings are passed to hg in a way that additional flags can be set. The additional flags can be used to perform a command injection. Other version control systems with an implemented interface may also be vulnerable. The issue has been fixed in version 1.13.2. A work around is to sanitize data passed to the vcs package APIs to ensure it does not contain commands or unexpected data. This is important for user input data that is passed directly to the package APIs.

Impact

Untrusted input is inserted into a command that is later executed by the application, allowing the attacker to alter the intent of that command. Typical impact: arbitrary command execution in the application's environment.

CVE-2022-21235 has a CVSS score of 9.8 (Critical). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (1.13.2); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Affected versions

github.com/Masterminds/vcs (< 1.13.2)

Security releases

github.com/Masterminds/vcs → 1.13.2 (go)

Kodem intelligence

Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.

Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.

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Remediation advice

Upgrade github.com/Masterminds/vcs to 1.13.2 or later to resolve this vulnerability.

Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2022-21235? CVE-2022-21235 is a critical-severity command injection vulnerability in github.com/Masterminds/vcs (go), affecting versions < 1.13.2. It is fixed in 1.13.2. Untrusted input is inserted into a command that is later executed by the application, allowing the attacker to alter the intent of that command.
How severe is CVE-2022-21235? CVE-2022-21235 has a CVSS score of 9.8 (Critical). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
Which versions of github.com/Masterminds/vcs are affected by CVE-2022-21235? github.com/Masterminds/vcs (go) versions < 1.13.2 is affected.
Is there a fix for CVE-2022-21235? Yes. CVE-2022-21235 is fixed in 1.13.2. Upgrade to this version or later.
Is CVE-2022-21235 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2022-21235 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
What actually determines whether CVE-2022-21235 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
How do I fix CVE-2022-21235? Upgrade github.com/Masterminds/vcs to 1.13.2 or later.