Hugo's Node tool execution allows file system access outside the project directory

## Impact When building a Hugo site that uses Node-based asset pipelines (PostCSS, Babel, TailwindCSS), Hugo invoked the configured Node tools without restrictions on file system access. As a result, executing hugo against an untrusted site could allow code running through these tools to read or write files outside the project's working directory. Users who do not use PostCSS, Babel, or TailwindCSS, or who only build trusted sites, are not affected. ## Patches From `v0.161.0`, Hugo runs Node tools under Node's permission model with strict defaults: No write access and only read access to the site source directories and files. ## Workarounds Block these tools in [security.exec.allow](https://gohugo.io/configuration/security/).

Source published

6 May 2026 20:59:23 UTC

Source modified

24 Jul 2026 19:11:22 UTC

Observed here

24 Oct 2026 13:19:41 UTC

Source terms

GitHub Advisory Database · CC-BY-4.0

Original source record · Cite this exact observation · Complete original publisher JSON

This view projects the publisher's source fields for reading; the original JSON retains additional fields and CVE enrichment containers. Attribution: osv · GitHub Advisory Database · CC-BY-4.0. Source text is retained; field grouping and change labels are provided by ChangeIntel.

CVSS_V4 · CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U

Publisher rating · MODERATE