CVE-2024-43405 is a high-severity (CVSS 7.4) OS Command Injection vulnerability in github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei/v3. A fix is available for github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei/v3 — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Nuclei Template Signature Verification Bypass
Exploitation Status
Proof-of-concept exploit code exists
- CISA’s SSVC triage found public proof-of-concept exploit code for this CVE, though no confirmed active exploitation.
- A successful exploit gives an attacker total control of the affected component, not partial access.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for CVE-2024-43405.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
How urgent is this, really
CVE-2024-43405 plotted by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). The shaded corner — EPSS 50%+ and CVSS 7.0+ — is where this CVE doesn't sit, though severity or exploitability alone can still warrant action.
Where this sits among everything scored
Of 378,156 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the < 10% band (highlighted). Real counts from FIRST.org, not a sample — log-scaled since the landscape is heavily right-skewed.
Real-World Exposure
github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei/v3Real-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Go packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
Summary
A vulnerability has been identified in Nuclei's template signature verification system that could allow an attacker to bypass the signature check and possibly execute malicious code via custom code template.
Affected Component
The vulnerability is present in the template signature verification process, specifically in the signer package.
Description
The vulnerability stems from a discrepancy between how the signature verification process and the YAML parser handle newline characters, combined with the way multiple signatures are processed. This allows an attacker to inject malicious content into a template while maintaining a valid signature for the benign part of the template.
Affected Users
- CLI Users: Those executing custom code templates from unverified sources. This includes templates authored by third parties or obtained from unverified repositories.
- SDK Users: Developers integrating Nuclei into their platforms, particularly if they permit the execution of custom code templates by end-users.
[!NOTE] Code templates are disabled as default, users have to explicitly enable with
-codeoption.
Proof of Concept
id: example-template
info:
name: Example Template
# Other benign content...
# digest: <valid_signature_for_benign_content>
# digest: <another_signature>\r
code:\r
- engine:\r
- sh\r
- bash\r
source: |\r
id\r
Patches
- The vulnerability is addressed in Nuclei v3.3.2 Users are strongly recommended to update to this version to mitigate the security risk.
- Fix reference - https://github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei/commit/0da993afe6d41b4b1b814e8fad23a2acba13c60a
Mitigation
- Immediate Upgrade: The primary recommendation is to upgrade to Nuclei v3.2.0, where the vulnerability has been patched.
- Avoid Unverified Templates: As an interim measure, users should refrain from using custom templates if unable to upgrade immediately. Only trusted, verified templates should be executed.
Workarounds
If you are unable to upgrade nuclei, disable running custom code templates as workaround.
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank Guy Goldenberg from Wiz who reported this to us via our security email, [email protected].
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐹Go | github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei/v3 | ≥ 3.0.0&&< 3.3.2 | 3.3.2go get github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei/v3@v3.3.2 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei/v3, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei/v3 to 3.3.2 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2024-43405 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like CVE-2024-43405 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to CVE-2024-43405. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2024-43405 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds CVE-2024-43405 across Go dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.