pnpm is a JavaScript package manager that uses patch files to modify installed packages. Prior to versions 10.34.4 and 11.7.0, a crafted patch entry could resolve to a location outside the configured patches directory, and when the user ran pnpm patch-remove the tool would delete the resolved file. The impact is the loss of data integrity, as arbitrary reachable files can be removed against a malicious patch entry.

The vulnerability affects the pnpm package manager itself. Any installation of pnpm older than 10.34.4 or 11.7.0 that accepts custom patch entries is at risk. This includes project builds and continuous‑integration environments that use those pnpm versions.

The CVSS score of 7.1 classifies this flaw as high severity. The EPSS score of less than 1% indicates a very low probability of exploitation, and the vulnerability is not yet listed in the CISA KEV catalog. Based on the description, the likely attack vector is local or between users who can add or modify patch entries; an attacker can insert a malicious patch pointing to a sensitive file and then invoke patch-remove to delete that file. The effect is restricted to files reachable by the user context running pnpm, but can be severe if critical system files are targeted.