Is CVE-2021-23355 actively exploited?

No active exploitation of CVE-2021-23355 has been confirmed so far. Continue monitoring, as exploit status can change.

Can CVE-2021-23355 be exploited remotely?

Yes. CVE-2021-23355 is exploitable remotely over the network (CVSS attack vector: Network).

What is the CVSS score of CVE-2021-23355?

CVE-2021-23355 has a CVSS score of 9.8 (CRITICAL).

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CRITICAL

CVE-2021-23355

CWE-78Published: March 15, 2021· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

9.8

CVSS v3.1

Official Description

This affects all versions of package ps-kill. If (attacker-controlled) user input is given to the kill function, it is possible for an attacker to execute arbitrary commands. This is due to use of the child_process exec function without input sanitization in the index.js file. PoC (provided by reporter): var ps_kill = require('ps-kill'); ps_kill.kill('$(touch success)',function(){});

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2021-23355 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and worm-like propagation.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 9.8.