title: Hugo can execute a binary from the current directory on Windows
description: Hugo is a fast and Flexible Static Site Generator built in Go. Hugo depends on Go's `os/exec` for certain features, e.g. for rendering of Pandoc documents if these binaries are found in the system `%PATH%` on Windows. In Hugo before version 0.79.1, if a malicious file with the same name (`exe` or `bat`) is found in the current working directory at the time of running `hugo`, the malicious command will be invoked instead of the system one. Windows users who run `hugo` inside untrusted Hugo sites are affected. Users should upgrade to Hugo v0.79.1. Other than avoiding untrusted Hugo sites, there is no workaround.
problem types: CWE-78: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')
affected:
{
product: hugo
vendor: gohugoio
versions:
status: affected, version: < 0.79.1
}
metrics:
cvssV3_1: [
attackComplexity: HIGH
attackVector: NETWORK
availabilityImpact: NONE
baseScore: 7.7
baseSeverity: HIGH
confidentialityImpact: HIGH
integrityImpact: HIGH
privilegesRequired: LOW
scope: CHANGED
userInteraction: REQUIRED
vectorString: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N
version: 3.1
]