Summary
Path Traversal in public
All versions of public are vulnerable to Path Traversal. This vulnerability allows an attacker to access files outside the webroot since it allows symlink navigation in the URL.
Impact
Input manipulates file paths to reach files outside the intended directory, such as configuration or credential files. Typical impact: unauthorized file read or write outside the intended directory.
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.
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No fix is currently available. Do not use public in production or consider using an alternative module until a fix is made available.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is GHSA-4VVP-X9H2-X2VF? GHSA-4VVP-X9H2-X2VF is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in public (npm), affecting versions >= 0.0.0. No fixed version is listed yet. Input manipulates file paths to reach files outside the intended directory, such as configuration or credential files.
- Which versions of public are affected by GHSA-4VVP-X9H2-X2VF? public (npm) versions >= 0.0.0 is affected.
- Is there a fix for GHSA-4VVP-X9H2-X2VF? No fixed version is listed for GHSA-4VVP-X9H2-X2VF yet. Monitor the advisory for updates and apply mitigations in the interim.
- Is GHSA-4VVP-X9H2-X2VF exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-4VVP-X9H2-X2VF 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 GHSA-4VVP-X9H2-X2VF 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 GHSA-4VVP-X9H2-X2VF? No fixed version is listed yet. In the interim: Resolve the canonical path after applying any user-supplied input, and verify it remains within the intended directory before accessing it.