Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
A vulnerable version of the Node.js growl module can let unsanitized notification input reach OS command execution. If an application passes attacker-controlled content into Growl, impact could include command execution under the process account. Exposure is dependency-specific, and the provided sources do not show active exploitation.
Executive priority
Prioritize remediation where growl is present in server-side or automated environments and may receive untrusted input. The vulnerability class can be severe, but urgency depends on actual package use and reachable data flow. No source in the bundle confirms active exploitation.
Technical view
CVE-2017-16042 affects growl before 1.10.2. The module did not properly sanitize input before passing it to exec, creating arbitrary command execution risk. The record maps this to CWE-94. The source bundle identifies the affected package as the growl node module and does not provide CVSS scoring.
Likely exposure
Most likely exposure is Node.js applications or build/runtime tooling that include growl below 1.10.2, directly or transitively. Risk is higher where untrusted data can influence notification content. Organizations without Node dependency inventory may miss stale transitive copies.
Exploitation context
The provided sources include a public advisory, GitHub issue, and pull request. The CVE is not marked KEV, and the bundle gives no evidence of active exploitation. Practical exploitability depends on whether attacker-controlled input reaches the vulnerable growl execution path.
Researcher notes
Key evidence is limited to the CVE description, NodeSecurity advisory reference, and upstream GitHub issue and pull request. The affected boundary is growl before 1.10.2. Validate reachability before rating asset-level risk, because dependency presence alone may not mean exploitable exposure.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade growl to version 1.10.2 or later.
- Remove growl if notification support is unnecessary.
- Refresh lockfiles so transitive dependency resolution no longer selects vulnerable versions.
- Check vendor and package advisory pages for any additional guidance.
- Restrict untrusted input from notification paths until upgraded.
Validation and detection
- Review package manifests and lockfiles for growl versions below 1.10.2.
- Check transitive dependency trees in Node.js projects and tooling repositories.
- Confirm deployed artifacts use the remediated dependency version.
- Identify code paths where external input can reach growl notifications.
- Document affected applications, upgrade status, and residual exposure.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-94: Code execution behavior lookup
Code execution and unsafe deserialization weaknesses often justify reviewing execution behavior and process telemetry. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2017-16042 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Unknown
- CVSS
- Not scored
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS and timeline data
No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://nodesecurity.io/advisories/146CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
- https://github.com/tj/node-growl/pull/61CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
- https://github.com/tj/node-growl/issues/60CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')
Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.