{
  "affected": [
    {
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "npm",
        "name": "renovate"
      },
      "ranges": [
        {
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "32.124.0"
            },
            {
              "fixed": "42.68.5"
            }
          ],
          "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "aliases": [],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-78"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": true,
    "github_reviewed_at": "2026-01-13T19:54:29Z",
    "nvd_published_at": null,
    "severity": "MODERATE"
  },
  "details": "### Summary\nRenovate can be tricked into executing shell code while updating the Gradle Wrapper. A malicious `distributionUrl` in `gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties` can lead to command execution in the Renovate runtime.\n\n### Details\nWhen Renovate handles Gradle Wrapper artifacts, it may run a wrapper update command such as:\n- `./gradlew :wrapper --gradle-distribution-url \u003cvalue\u003e`\n\nIn the observed behavior, Renovate executes this via a shell (e.g., `/bin/sh -c ...`).  \nIf `distributionUrl` contains shell command substitution syntax like `$(...)`, the shell evaluates it **before** Gradle validates/parses the URL.\n\nAfter that, Gradle attempts to parse the URL as a URI and fails with `URISyntaxException`, but the shell substitution has already executed.\n\nThis is reproducible even when `allowScripts` is disabled (default is OFF), because this execution happens as part of Gradle Wrapper artifact handling rather than \u201crepository install scripts\u201d.\n\nPrerequisites / attack conditions:\n- The attacker must be able to get a malicious `gradle-wrapper.properties` into a repository that Renovate scans (e.g., direct write access, or a maintainer merges an attacker\u2019s change/PR).\n- Renovate must be configured to process Gradle Wrapper updates/artifacts for that repository (default behavior for the Gradle Wrapper manager).\n\n### PoC\n1. Create a repository with a Gradle Wrapper (`gradlew`, `gradlew.bat`, `gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.jar`, and `gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties`).\n2. Set `distributionUrl` in `gradle-wrapper.properties` to include `$(...)`.\n3. Run Renovate against the repository.\n4. Observe that a file is created during Renovate\u2019s wrapper update step **before** Gradle fails with `URISyntaxException`.\n\nA [screen recording](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nveSCgyz4pKPCZuelqDD_xGEO00DXr4P/view) is attached showing end-to-end reproduction. In the demo, the payload creates `/tmp/passwd_dump` containing `/etc/passwd`, demonstrating that file read/exfiltration is possible within the Renovate execution context.\n\n### Impact\nThis allows arbitrary command execution in the Renovate runtime during Gradle Wrapper updates. Depending on deployment, this may expose credentials/tokens available to the bot and may allow an attacker to modify repositories or access internal resources reachable from the Renovate environment.\n\n### Remediation\n\nUpgrading to Renovate [42.68.5](https://github.com/renovatebot/renovate/releases/tag/42.68.5) (2025-12-31) fixes this issue, and closes out other risks of shell evaluation for commands run by Renovate.\n\nIf using the `composer`, `yarn` (v1) or `flux` managers, please upgrade to [42.74.5](https://github.com/renovatebot/renovate/releases/tag/42.74.5) (2026-01-08), as there were follow-up fixes to keep these managers working.",
  "id": "GHSA-pfq2-hh62-7m96",
  "modified": "2026-01-13T19:54:29Z",
  "published": "2026-01-13T19:54:29Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/renovatebot/renovate/security/advisories/GHSA-pfq2-hh62-7m96"
    },
    {
      "type": "PACKAGE",
      "url": "https://github.com/renovatebot/renovate"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/renovatebot/renovate/releases/tag/42.68.5"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ],
  "summary": "Renovate vulnerable to arbitrary command injection via Gradle Wrapper and malicious `distributionUrl`"
}