CVE-2026-92935: vm2 (npm)

Should you act?

Critical and remotely reachable

No known exploitation yet, but it is network-reachable without credentials. This signal is computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS data; it is not an editorial verdict.

No confirmed exploitation. It is not in CISA’s KEV catalog and CISA’s SSVC assessment records no known exploitation. That can change quickly after a public write-up; re-check if you are affected.
EPSS 0.7%, percentile 51: FIRST’s model estimates a 0.7% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 51% of all scored CVEs (moderate). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
Remotely reachable with no login and no user interaction. If the vulnerable service is exposed to the internet, prioritize it.
Only applies if your dependency tree includes vm2 (npm) >= 3.11.4, <= 3.11.6, fixed in 3.11.7. Check your lockfile, including transitive dependencies.
Editorial verdict: Check exposure. vm2: 22 Critical Sandbox Escapes, Fixed in 3.12.2 — If anything outside your trust boundary can get code into vm2, upgrade to 3.12.2 today and plan to move that code out of process; if vm2 only runs your own code, upgrade on a normal cycle.

What it is

vm2 is a sandbox for running untrusted Node.js code. In versions >= 3.11.4 and

From the GitHub advisory

Summary

The NodeVM constructor computes hasRealRequireConfig using typeof requireOpts === 'object' && requireOpts !== null, so require: [] bypasses the guard intended to reject nesting without an explicit require configuration. makeResolverFromLegacyOptions() then destructures the array to undefined option fields and returns a resolver containing only NESTINGOVERRIDE.vm2. Any attacker whose JavaScript is executed by a downstream NodeVM configured with {nesting: true, require: []} can load the host vm2 module, create an inner NodeVM with an attacker-selected builtin allowlist, and execute commands as the host process. No equivalent plain-object validation exists in makeResolverFromLegacyOptions().

Array is converted into the vm2-only resolver: https://github.com/patriksimek/vm2/blob/54b54b74a382577f0bcd0538c5bf99acdcd7f53b/lib/resolver-compat.js#L205-L226

Nesting loader returns the host VM constructors: https://github.com/patriksimek/vm2/blob/54b54b74a382577f0bcd0538c5bf99acdcd7f53b/lib/nodevm.js#L640-L645

Proof of Concept

Weakness type: CWE-913.

Product: vm2 (npm) · Assigned by: VulnCheck · Published: 2026-09-17

Affected and fixed versions

Ecosystem	Package	Vulnerable	First fixed
npm	`vm2`	>= 3.11.4, <= 3.11.6	3.11.7

Vendor	Product	Affected versions (per CVE record)
patriksimek	vm2	3.11.4 < 3.11.7

Severity scores

Scored by	CVSS	Score	Vector
VulnCheck	4.0	9.5 Critical	`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H`
VulnCheck	3.1	9 Critical	`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`
GitHub	3.1	9.0	`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`

Attack vector: network (remotely reachable)
Attack complexity: high (needs special conditions)
Attack requirements: present (depends on deployment conditions)
Privileges required: none (no login)
User interaction: none

CVSS measures how bad a flaw is if exploited, not how likely exploitation is. Read it next to the exploitation data below.

Exploitation and urgency

CISA KEV: not listed (no confirmed in-the-wild exploitation known to CISA).
CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation none, automatable no, technical impact total.
FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 0.67% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 51.

Timeline

2026-08-17 — erroneo.us brief: vm2: 22 Critical Sandbox Escapes, Fixed in 3.12.2
2026-09-17 — CVE record last updated
2026-09-17 — CVE record published by VulnCheck
2026-10-01 — GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-8hr7-r645-pc6w published (critical)

Sources and references

Original sources first. Version and fix details should always be confirmed against the vendor or project advisory.