Detect CVE-2026-54051: network-ai npm Package OS Command Injection in CrowdStrike LogScale
Detects exploitation of CVE-2026-54051, a critical OS command injection vulnerability (CWE-78) in the npm package 'network-ai' versions prior to 5.9.1. Improper neutralization of special elements allows attackers to inject arbitrary OS commands through the package's API, potentially leading to full system compromise. A public PoC is available.
MITRE ATT&CK
LogScale Detection Query
#event_simpleName=ProcessRollup2
| ParentBaseFileName=/node(\.exe)?$/i OR ParentCommandLine=/network-ai/i
| ImageFileName=/(cmd\.exe|powershell\.exe|\bsh\b|\bbash\b|\bdash\b|\bzsh\b|\bksh\b)/i
| CommandLine=/(whoami|\bid\b|net user|\/etc\/passwd|\/etc\/shadow|\bcurl\b|\bwget\b|\bnc\b|\bncat\b|\bpython\b|\bperl\b|\bruby\b)/i
| eval RiskLevel=if(match(CommandLine, /(curl|wget|nc|ncat|python|perl|ruby)/), "Critical", "High")
| stats count() as EventCount, values(CommandLine) as CommandLines, values(ImageFileName) as ChildProcesses by aid, UserName, ParentCommandLine, RiskLevel
| sort -RiskLevel, -EventCountCrowdStrike Falcon query detecting CVE-2026-54051 exploitation by identifying Node.js parent processes spawning shells with OS command injection patterns.
Data Sources
Required Tables
False Positives & Tuning
- Node.js applications with legitimate shell execution for system operations
- Security tools built on Node.js that perform authorized system enumeration
- Build automation scripts executing shell commands from Node.js runtime
- Monitoring agents using network-ai for authorized network diagnostics
Other platforms for CVE-2026-54051
Testing Methodology
Validate this detection against 4 adversary techniques from Atomic Red Team. Each test below lists the behaviour to exercise and the telemetry you should expect to see. Executable commands and cleanup steps are available with Pro.
- Test 1CVE-2026-54051 Basic Command Injection via network-ai
Expected signal: Process creation event: node spawns sh or bash child process with command line containing 'whoami'; file creation event for /tmp/cve_2026_54051_poc.txt
- Test 2CVE-2026-54051 Reverse Shell Injection Simulation
Expected signal: Process creation: node → bash with command containing /dev/tcp; network connection event from bash process to 127.0.0.1:4444
- Test 3CVE-2026-54051 Persistence via Cron Injection
Expected signal: Process creation: node → sh → crontab with new entry; crontab file modification event; subsequent periodic execution of /tmp/beacon.sh if not cleaned up
- Test 4CVE-2026-54051 Credential Harvesting via /etc/passwd Read
Expected signal: Process creation: node → sh with 'cat /etc/passwd' in command line; file read event on /etc/passwd by shell child process of Node.js; file creation of /tmp/passwd_exfil.txt
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