CVE-2026-45152 Overview
CVE-2026-45152 is a command injection vulnerability in uniget, a universal installer and updater for container tools. Versions prior to 0.27.1 execute the check field from metadata files using /bin/bash -c without validation. An attacker who controls metadata can embed arbitrary shell commands that execute when a user runs common operations such as describe, install, update, or inspect. Successful exploitation results in arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the user running uniget. The maintainers fixed the issue in uniget 0.27.1.
Critical Impact
Untrusted JSON metadata triggers shell execution during routine uniget commands, enabling arbitrary code execution under the invoking user's account.
Affected Products
- uniget CLI versions prior to 0.27.1
- Systems where uniget is used to install or inspect container tooling
- Developer and CI environments consuming uniget tool metadata
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-05-27 - CVE-2026-45152 published to NVD
- 2026-05-27 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-45152
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability is classified under [CWE-78] OS Command Injection. uniget reads tool metadata from JSON files and passes the check field directly to /bin/bash -c for execution. The metadata source is treated as trusted, but the field is never validated or sanitized before invocation.
Any operation that evaluates the check field triggers shell parsing. This includes uniget describe, uniget install, uniget update, and uniget inspect. An attacker who can influence the metadata consumed by a victim can therefore execute arbitrary commands.
Because uniget runs in user context, the injected commands inherit the user's privileges. On developer workstations and build agents, this typically includes access to source code, credentials, container registries, and cloud tokens stored on disk.
Root Cause
The root cause is direct shell evaluation of attacker-influenced JSON content. The check field is concatenated into a /bin/bash -c invocation without escaping, allowlisting, or use of a safer execution primitive such as exec with argument arrays.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires the attacker to deliver malicious metadata to a uniget user. Distribution channels include compromised tool repositories, malicious pull requests that modify metadata files, or man-in-the-path delivery of metadata payloads. The attack requires user interaction, since execution is triggered when the victim runs a uniget command against the poisoned metadata. See the GitHub Security Advisory for additional technical context.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-45152
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected child processes of the uniget binary, particularly /bin/bash -c invocations containing shell metacharacters such as ;, &&, |, or backticks.
- JSON metadata files where the check field contains command separators, subshells, or network utilities like curl, wget, or nc.
- Outbound network connections initiated immediately after uniget describe, install, update, or inspect runs.
Detection Strategies
- Hunt for uniget process trees that spawn shells executing reconnaissance commands, credential access utilities, or scripting interpreters.
- Inspect cached or repository-resident metadata for check values that exceed simple command invocations.
- Compare installed uniget versions across the fleet against the fixed release 0.27.1.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Log and alert on process creation events where the parent is uniget and the child is a shell with -c arguments.
- Monitor developer endpoints and CI runners for new uniget installations and configuration changes to metadata sources.
- Forward endpoint process telemetry to a centralized analytics pipeline to enable retrospective hunting once new indicators are published.
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-45152
Immediate Actions Required
- Upgrade uniget to version 0.27.1 or later on all developer workstations, build agents, and container images.
- Audit existing metadata caches and remove any files sourced from untrusted repositories.
- Rotate credentials accessible from systems that ran vulnerable uniget versions against unverified metadata.
Patch Information
The maintainers fixed the issue in uniget 0.27.1. Details are published in the GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-qqq4-5773-pmw5.
Workarounds
- Restrict uniget execution to metadata sources controlled by your organization until upgrades complete.
- Run uniget under least-privileged accounts that do not hold production credentials or signing keys.
- Block uniget execution on CI runners that ingest third-party metadata until the fixed version is deployed.
# Upgrade uniget to the fixed release
uniget self-upgrade
uniget version # confirm 0.27.1 or later
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
