Summary
pnpm: Tarball hash of GitHub git dependencies is not stored in lockfile
A malicious codeload.github.com server can serve whatever tarball it wants and pnpm will install it regardless of the lockfile.
Details
The lockfile does not store the hash of the dependencies from https://codeload.github.com
This means that if this server was compromised or a person's machine configuration was compromised, pnpm would download and install these dependencies.
PoC
> pnpm -v
10.28.2
Given the following package.json:
{
"dependencies": {
"add": "git://github.com/dsherret/npm-git-dep.git#b3eeb9b"
}
}
This produces a lockfile like so:
lockfileVersion: '9.0'
settings:
autoInstallPeers: true
excludeLinksFromLockfile: false
importers:
.:
dependencies:
add:
specifier: git://github.com/dsherret/npm-git-dep.git#b3eeb9b
version: https://codeload.github.com/dsherret/npm-git-dep/tar.gz/b3eeb9b
packages:
add@https://codeload.github.com/dsherret/npm-git-dep/tar.gz/b3eeb9b:
resolution: {tarball: https://codeload.github.com/dsherret/npm-git-dep/tar.gz/b3eeb9b}
version: 1.0.0
snapshots:
add@https://codeload.github.com/dsherret/npm-git-dep/tar.gz/b3eeb9b: {}
Notice that there is no hash. The b3eeb9b is not sufficient because I can configure my machine to resolve a compromised tarball from that url (I tested it out and pnpm just installs it).
Impact
Anyone relying on github git dependencies.
Affected versions
Security releases
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.
Already deployed Kodem?
See it in your environmentNew to Kodem? Get a demo →Remediation advice
pnpm to 10.33.4 or later; pnpm to 11.0.7 or later
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-48995? CVE-2026-48995 is a medium-severity security vulnerability in pnpm (npm), affecting versions < 10.33.4. It is fixed in 10.33.4, 11.0.7.
- Which versions of pnpm are affected by CVE-2026-48995? pnpm (npm) versions < 10.33.4 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-48995? Yes. CVE-2026-48995 is fixed in 10.33.4, 11.0.7. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-48995 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-48995 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-2026-48995 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-2026-48995?
- Upgrade
pnpmto 10.33.4 or later - Upgrade
pnpmto 11.0.7 or later
- Upgrade