CVE-2022-1537: file.copy operations in GruntJS are vulnerable to a TOCTOU race condition leading to arbitrary file write in G

Routine

HIGH 7.0UPGRADE

CVE-2022-1537 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 7.0) affecting grunt. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

file.copy operations in GruntJS are vulnerable to a TOCTOU race condition leading to arbitrary file write in GitHub repository gruntjs/grunt prior to 1.5.3. This vulnerability is capable of arbitrary file writes which can lead to local privilege escalation to the GruntJS user if a lower-privileged user has write access to both source and destination directories as the lower-privileged user can create a symlink to the GruntJS user's .bashrc file o

Why this priority

High severity
Public exploit reference

A fixed release or distro patch exists.

Risk facts

CVSS score	7.0 (High)
Attack vector	Local
Attack complexity	High
Privileges needed	Low
User interaction	None
EPSS exploit chance	0.3% (top 77%)
CISA exploited list	No
Weakness	CWE-367
Published	2022-05-10
Last modified	2026-06-17

Publisher (CNA): huntr.dev · Vendor: gruntjs

Last updated 2026-06-17 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score

Am I affected?

Timeline

2022-05-10 14:15 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-06-17 04:22 UTCUpdated Record last modified

gruntjs grunt UPGRADE

Affected: < 1.5.3

Fixed in: 1.5.3

Safe to downgrade to: no unaffected older release

1. Check installed version

npm ls grunt

2. UPGRADE to 1.5.3

npm install grunt@">=1.5.3"

Verify at the official source NVD · CVE Program · Report a problem with this page
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.

Quick answers

How do I fix CVE-2022-1537?

grunt: upgrade to 1.5.3. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Is CVE-2022-1537 being exploited?

CVE-2022-1537 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

What does CVE-2022-1537 affect?

CVE-2022-1537 affects grunt. Severity is high (CVSS 7.0). file.copy operations in GruntJS are vulnerable to a TOCTOU race condition leading to arbitrary file write in GitHub repository gruntjs/grunt prior to 1.5.3. This vulnerability is capable of arbitrary file writes which can lead to local priv

How urgent is CVE-2022-1537?

Priority 35/100. High severity; Public exploit reference

Software pages

GitHub vulnerabilities

Related CVEs

CVE-2022-0436 MEDIUM 5.5 UPGRADE Path Traversal in GitHub repository gruntjs/grunt prior to 1.5.2.
CVE-2020-7729 HIGH 7.1 UPGRADE MITIGATE The package grunt before 1.3.0 are vulnerable to Arbitrary Code Execution due to the default usage of the func

References

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