# CVE-2026-73035: npm-check-updates 23.0.2 Terminal Injection via Unsanitized Escape Sequences

Status: published. Published: 2026-08-10. Updated: 2026-11-08.

npm-check-updates through 23.0.2, fixed in commit b554b84, contains a terminal escape sequence injection vulnerability that allows an attacker to embed arbitrary terminal control characters in a dependency's package.json homepage or repository URL fields. When a developer runs ncu with the --format homepage or --format repo option, unfiltered escape sequences are written directly to the terminal, enabling malicious output manipulation or other terminal-dependent effects.

## Remediation

- fix: The reporting source identifies this reference as a patch. Check the advisory for affected versions and supported release branches. (source: CNA: VulnCheck) — https://github.com/raineorshine/npm-check-updates/pull/1994
- fix: The reporting source identifies this reference as a patch. Check the advisory for affected versions and supported release branches. (source: CNA: VulnCheck) — https://github.com/raineorshine/npm-check-updates/commit/b554b84848fc0b08a9d2b3d3db15e351387168cf

## Affected products and versions

- raineorshine / npm-check-updates (raineorshine/npm-check-updates): ≥ 0; ≤ 23.0.2 (affected, semver); b554b84848fc0b08a9d2b3d3db15e351387168cf (unaffected, git). Source: CNA: VulnCheck

## Severity and prioritization

- CVSS 4.0: 5.3 (medium); CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:N/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N; source: CNA: VulnCheck

- CVSS 3.1: 4.3 (medium); CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N; source: CNA: VulnCheck

- CISA KEV: No listing in collected sources

- EPSS: 0.37% as of 2026-11-08; percentile 31.55%

- SSVC: exploitation none; automatable no; technical impact partial; source ADP: CISA-ADP

- Weaknesses: CWE-150

## Exploit evidence

No exploit evidence in collected sources. This is not proof of no exploitation.

## References

- https://github.com/raineorshine/npm-check-updates/issues/1988 (CNA: VulnCheck; technical-description, issue-tracking)

- https://github.com/raineorshine/npm-check-updates/pull/1994 (CNA: VulnCheck; issue-tracking, patch)

- https://github.com/raineorshine/npm-check-updates/commit/b554b84848fc0b08a9d2b3d3db15e351387168cf (CNA: VulnCheck; patch)

- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/npm-check-updates-terminal-injection-via-unsanitized-escape-sequences (CNA: VulnCheck; third-party-advisory)

## Provenance

- CNA: VulnCheck: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-73035; retrieved 2026-11-08; source updated 2026-11-08

- FIRST EPSS: https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-73035; retrieved 2026-11-08; source updated Not reported

Revision: 3d28ace8c44495e7457228fa8d879bfd3bbd04118de66f560d80da7895563c44

Canonical: https://y2.dev/cve/CVE-2026-73035

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