CVE-2026-112944

launch-editor: Editor CLI flag misinterpretation causing arbitrary command execution for some editors

Published Oct 20, 2026 CVSS 4.0 · 6.3 Medium EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
launch-editor allows users to open files with line numbers in editor from Node.js. Prior to 2.14.2, when an attacker can create a filesystem entry beginning with plus or minus in the working directory, an affected editor is selected, and the path can remain relative or is converted to a relative WSL path, launchEditor forwards the path without forcing it to be interpreted as a positional filename. Editor option parsing then treats the attacker-controlled filename as a command-line flag, which can cause unintended file overwrite or arbitrary command execution by the selected editor. The affected editors are Vim and gVim, MacVim, Emacs and Emacsclient, and Notepad++ when a plugin exposes dangerous operations; WSL path conversion keeps Vite and newer middleware callers exposed. This issue is fixed in version 2.14.2.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Github GHSA Github GHSA GHSA-r825-w8mm-5pxw launch-editor: Editor CLI flag misinterpretation causing arbitrary command execution for some editors
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 6.7, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

threat_severity

Moderate

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Vitejs
Vitejs launch-editor
Vitejs vite
Vitejs vite-plus
Vendors & Products Vitejs
Vitejs launch-editor
Vitejs vite
Vitejs vite-plus
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description launch-editor allows users to open files with line numbers in editor from Node.js. Prior to 2.14.2, when an attacker can create a filesystem entry beginning with plus or minus in the working directory, an affected editor is selected, and the path can remain relative or is converted to a relative WSL path, launchEditor forwards the path without forcing it to be interpreted as a positional filename. Editor option parsing then treats the attacker-controlled filename as a command-line flag, which can cause unintended file overwrite or arbitrary command execution by the selected editor. The affected editors are Vim and gVim, MacVim, Emacs and Emacsclient, and Notepad++ when a plugin exposes dangerous operations; WSL path conversion keeps Vite and newer middleware callers exposed. This issue is fixed in version 2.14.2.
Title launch-editor: Editor CLI flag misinterpretation causing arbitrary command execution for some editors
Weaknesses CWE-88
References
Metrics cvssV4_0

{'score': 6.3, 'vector': 'CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N'}

Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
GitHub_M
Published
Updated
Oct 20, 2026, 3:23 PM
Reserved
Oct 19, 2026, 9:30 PM
Status
Awaiting Analysis
Published
Oct 20, 2026, 3:17 PM
Modified
Oct 20, 2026, 7:55 PM
Severity
Moderate
Public date
Oct 20, 2026, 2:57 PM