CVE-2025-64726

Technical Description

Socket Firewall is an HTTP/HTTPS proxy server that intercepts package manager requests and enforces security policies by blocking dangerous packages. Socket Firewall binary versions (separate from installers) prior to 0.15.5 are vulnerable to arbitrary code execution when run in untrusted project directories. The vulnerability allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code by placing a malicious `.sfw.config` file in a project directory. When a developer runs Socket Firewall commands (e.g., `sfw npm install`) in that directory, the tool loads the `.sfw.config` file and populates environment variables directly into the Node.js process. An attacker can exploit this by setting `NODE_OPTIONS` with a `--require` directive to execute malicious JavaScript code before Socket Firewall's security controls are initialized, effectively bypassing the tool's malicious package detection. The attack vector is indirect and requires a developer to install dependencies for an untrusted project and execute

Remediation

Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.

References