CVE-2026-41501
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedelecterm is an open-sourced terminal/ssh/sftp/telnet/serialport/RDP/VNC/Spice/ftp client. Prior to version 3.3.8, a command injection vulnerability exists in github.com/elcterm/electerm/npm/install.js:130. The runLinux() function appends attacker-controlled remote version strings directly into an exec("rm -rf ...") command without validation. This issue has been patched in version 3.3.8.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceA command injection vulnerability exists in electerm's install.js where the runLinux() function directly concatenates attacker-controlled remote version strings into an exec() command (containing 'rm -rf'). This allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary shell commands during the software update/installation process, potentially leading to complete system compromise through arbitrary command execution.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data< 3.3.8CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Check installed electerm versionRun 'npm list electerm' or check the package.json file for the electerm dependency versionAffected if The installed version is below 3.3.8
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Locate the electerm install.js fileFind the npm/install.js file within the electerm installation directory, typically in node_modules/electerm/Affected if The file exists and contains a runLinux() function that uses exec() with version parameters
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Inspect the runLinux() function for command injectionOpen npm/install.js and examine the runLinux() function - look for exec() calls that concatenate or interpolate version strings directly into shell commands without sanitizationAffected if The function passes remote version strings directly to exec() without escaping or validation
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Determine if untrusted remote sources are usedCheck if the installer is configured to fetch version information from remote URLs that are not under your controlAffected if The installer retrieves version data from untrusted or user-controlled remote sources
You are affected if electerm version is below 3.3.8 and the npm/install.js file contains the vulnerable runLinux() function using exec() with unsanitized version strings from remote sources.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scoped3.3.8
Upgrade electerm to version 3.3.8 or later, which includes proper input validation for version strings before use in shell commands.
electerm version 3.3.8
- If installed via npm, run: npm install [email protected]
- If installed via npm, verify the fix by checking the version: npm list electerm
- If using a pre-built binary, download version 3.3.8 from the official electerm releases page
- Ensure no older vulnerable versions remain installed
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation1.0 h
- Implementation2.0 h
- Testing4.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $2,432.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2026-41501 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2026-41501 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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