CVE-2026-88885 renovatebot CVE debrief

Who should care

Defenders responsible for Renovate installations, especially those using the gomod manager with binarySource=docker mode, should assess exposure and prioritize updates to mitigate potential command injection attacks.

Why it matters

CVE-2026-88885 is a command injection vulnerability in Renovate before 44.14.7. Defenders should verify exposure, especially for installations using the gomod manager with binarySource=docker mode, and update vulnerable versions to prevent potential attacks.

• Potential for arbitrary command execution as the Renovate user.
• Possible disruption of Go module major version updates.
• Need for verification of exposure and remediation through updates.

Technical summary

The command injection vulnerability in Renovate before 44.14.7 arises from the gomod manager's handling of unescaped depName parameters in import-path update commands with binarySource=docker mode. Attackers can exploit this by injecting shell metacharacters through malicious dependency names, allowing for arbitrary command execution as the Renovate user during Go module major version updates with postUpdateOptions gomodUpdateImportPaths enabled.

Defensive priority

Defenders should prioritize verifying exposure of Renovate installations to this vulnerability, especially those utilizing the gomod manager with binarySource=docker mode. Immediate action is required to update vulnerable versions to 44.14.7 or later.

Recommended defensive actions

• Verify if Renovate installations are using the gomod manager with binarySource=docker mode.
• Check if the installed version of Renovate is before 44.14.7.
• Update Renovate to version 44.14.7 or later.
• Monitor for suspicious activity related to Renovate.
• Perform a thorough review of system logs to detect potential exploitation attempts.
• Implement additional monitoring for Renovate-related activities.
• Review and update incident response plans to include potential command injection scenarios.

Evidence notes

The CVE record and NVD entry provide details on the command injection vulnerability in Renovate. However, specific details about exploitation, victims, or business impact are not provided, limiting the depth of the debrief.

Sources and references

Methodology and review provenance

AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.