electron-builder's NSIS installer - execute arbitrary code on the target machine (Windows only)
Impact
Windows-Only: The NSIS installer makes a system call to open cmd.exe via NSExec in the .nsh installer script. NSExec by default searches the current directory of where the installer is located before searching PATH. This means that if an attacker can place a malicious executable file named cmd.exe in the same folder as the installer, the installer will run the malicious file.
Patches
Fixed in https://github.com/electron-userland/electron-builder/pull/8059
Workarounds
None, it executes at the installer-level before the app is present on the system, so there's no way to check if it exists in a current installer.
References
https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/426.html https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/427
Affected software
Click a technology to see all vulnerabilities affecting it.
| Platform | Package | Vulnerable versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| npm package | app-builder-lib | < 24.13.2 | 24.13.2 |
References
- https://github.com/electron-userland/electron-builder/security/advisories/GHSA-r4pf-3v7r-hh55
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-27303
- https://github.com/electron-userland/electron-builder/pull/8059
- https://github.com/electron-userland/electron-builder/commit/8f4acff3c2d45c1cb07779bb3fe79644408ee387
- https://github.com/electron-userland/electron-builder
- CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H- Weakness (CWE)
CWE-426, CWE-427- Platform
- npm
- Package
app-builder-lib- Disclosed
- 04.03.2024
- Updated
- 11.10.2026 10:22
Sources and licenses
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-r4pf-3v7r-hh55 - CC BY 4.0
Vulnerability history: app-builder-lib
All published vulnerabilities of this package (npm package), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.
- Total entries
- 2
- First → latest
- 03.2024 07.2026
- Without a fix
- 0
- Exploited in attacks
- 0
Severity breakdown
- High 2
Disclosures per year
- 2024: 1
- 2025: 0
- 2026: 1
-
electron-builder's NSIS installer - execute arbitrary code on the target machine (Windows only) this entry
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