CVE-2026-5012: elecV2P RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2026-5012 Overview

A critical OS command injection vulnerability has been identified in elecV2 elecV2P, a popular automation and task management platform. This vulnerability affects the pm2run function within the /rpc endpoint, allowing remote attackers to execute arbitrary operating system commands on the target server without authentication.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers can exploit improper input validation in the pm2run function to inject and execute arbitrary system commands, potentially leading to complete server compromise, data exfiltration, or lateral movement within the network.

Affected Products

• elecV2 elecV2P versions up to and including 3.8.3
• Systems running elecV2P with the /rpc endpoint exposed
• Network-accessible elecV2P installations without additional access controls

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-03-28 - CVE-2026-5012 published to NVD
• 2026-03-30 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-5012

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability exists in the pm2run function of elecV2P, which is accessible via the /rpc endpoint. This function fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before passing it to system shell commands. When an attacker sends a specially crafted request to the /rpc endpoint, the malicious payload is interpreted and executed by the underlying operating system shell.

This type of command injection vulnerability (CWE-77) is particularly dangerous because it allows attackers to bypass application-level security controls and interact directly with the host operating system. The network-accessible nature of the vulnerability means that attackers do not require local access or special privileges to exploit it.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is inadequate input validation and sanitization in the pm2run function. User-controlled input is passed directly to shell execution functions without proper escaping or allowlist validation. This allows metacharacters and command separators (such as ;, |, &&, or backticks) to be interpreted by the shell, enabling command chaining and arbitrary code execution.

Attack Vector

The attack is executed remotely over the network by sending malicious requests to the /rpc endpoint. An attacker can manipulate input parameters to the pm2run function, injecting operating system commands that will be executed in the context of the elecV2P process. No user interaction or authentication is required to exploit this vulnerability. The exploit has been publicly disclosed through a GitHub Issue #196 Discussion, increasing the risk of active exploitation.

The vulnerability mechanism involves the pm2run function accepting user input that is subsequently passed to shell execution without proper sanitization. Attackers can leverage shell metacharacters to break out of the intended command context and execute arbitrary commands. For detailed technical information, see the VulDB Vulnerability #353897 entry and the GitHub Issue #196 Discussion.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-5012

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual process spawning from the elecV2P application process
• Unexpected outbound network connections from the elecV2P server
• Suspicious entries in web server logs showing requests to /rpc endpoint with shell metacharacters (;, |, &&, `, $())
• Evidence of unauthorized file modifications or new files in the elecV2P directory structure

Detection Strategies

• Monitor HTTP/HTTPS traffic to the /rpc endpoint for requests containing shell metacharacters or command injection patterns
• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block command injection attempts targeting the /rpc endpoint
• Deploy endpoint detection solutions to identify suspicious process execution chains originating from the elecV2P process
• Analyze application logs for anomalous pm2run function calls with unexpected parameters

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging for all requests to the /rpc endpoint
• Configure alerts for process execution events where the parent process is elecV2P
• Monitor system call activity on servers running elecV2P for signs of command execution
• Review network traffic patterns for unexpected data exfiltration or reverse shell connections

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-5012

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict network access to the /rpc endpoint using firewall rules or network segmentation
• Implement authentication and authorization controls for all RPC functions
• Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with command injection detection rules in front of elecV2P
• Consider disabling the elecV2P service temporarily if it is non-critical until a patch is available

Patch Information

As of the last update, the elecV2P project maintainers have not yet responded to the vulnerability disclosure. Users should monitor the GitHub Project Repository for security updates and patches. It is recommended to subscribe to project notifications to be alerted when a fix becomes available.

Workarounds

• Place elecV2P behind a reverse proxy with strict input validation to filter potentially malicious requests
• Implement network-level access controls to limit which IP addresses can reach the /rpc endpoint
• Run elecV2P in a containerized or sandboxed environment to limit the impact of potential exploitation
• Apply the principle of least privilege by running the elecV2P process with minimal system permissions

# Example: Restrict access to /rpc endpoint using iptables
# Allow only trusted IP addresses to access elecV2P port
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 80 -s 192.168.1.0/24 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 80 -j DROP

# Example: Nginx reverse proxy configuration to block suspicious requests
# Add to nginx.conf or site configuration
location /rpc {
    # Block requests containing shell metacharacters
    if ($request_uri ~* "[;|&`$]") {
        return 403;
    }
    # Restrict to trusted IPs only
    allow 192.168.1.0/24;
    deny all;
    proxy_pass http://localhost:elecv2p_port;
}