CVE-2021-21315
Command Injection in Systeminformation ≤ 5.3.1
Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:NSummary
CVE-2021-21315 is a high-severity OS Command Injection (CWE-78) vulnerability in Systeminformation Systeminformation. Its CVSS base score is 7.1 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Command and Scripting Interpreter (T1059); ranked in the top 0.2% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; CISA has added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
The vulnerability is a command injection flaw (CWE-78) in the systeminformation npm package, an open-source Node.js library used to retrieve hardware, system, and OS details. It affects all versions prior to 5.3.1 and is exposed through functions that accept untrusted input for system queries.
An attacker able to supply or influence parameters to calls such as si.inetLatency(), si.inetChecksite(), si.services(), or si.processLoad() can inject operating-system commands. The CVSS 7.1 vector (AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N) indicates that local, unauthenticated execution can alter integrity outside the intended security boundary, even though confidentiality and availability impacts are not scored.
The GitHub Security Advisory and accompanying commit state that the issue is resolved in version 5.3.1. As a workaround, callers must enforce that only string values are passed to the affected functions and must reject arrays; standard string sanitization is reported to be effective. NetApp and Apache Cordova lists reference the same upstream fix for downstream products.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2021-0527
Vulnerability Data
The System Information Library for Node.JS (npm package "systeminformation") is an open source collection of functions to retrieve detailed hardware, system and OS information. In systeminformation before version 5.3.1 there is a command injection vulnerability. Problem was fixed in version…
more
5.3.1. As a workaround instead of upgrading, be sure to check or sanitize service parameters that are passed to si.inetLatency(), si.inetChecksite(), si.services(), si.processLoad() ... do only allow strings, reject any arrays. String sanitation works as expected.
- CWE(s)
- KEV Date Added
- 18 January 2022
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Control response
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V1.2.5V1.2.8V15.2.5
Likely Mitigating Controls AI
Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.
Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
PR.PS-06's SDLC practices directly require secure coding and input handling that blocks command-injection defects, yet the single broad outcome leaves many specific neutralization vectors and verification gaps unaddressed.
Routine patching/maintenance can remediate known command-injection CVEs in dependencies (partial forward) but does nothing to stop developers from introducing improper neutralization in custom code (none reverse).
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Security testing and code review target insecure use of operating-system command interfaces, catching command-injection flaws introduced during development.