---
title: "CVE-2026-92939: vm2 crypto builtin loads attacker native code through setEngine"
url: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2026-92939/
description: "CVE-2026-92939 (vm2 (npm)): vm2 3.11.3 through 3.11.6 exposes the host Node.js crypto module to a NodeVM sandbox when the crypto builtin is allowed. The…"
type: vulnerability-record
section: "Security Digest"
date_published: 2026-09-17
date_modified: 2026-10-07
publisher: erroneo.us
author: erroneo.us Security Desk
cve: "CVE-2026-92939"
kev: false
cvss: 9.4
epss: 0.00616
license: All rights reserved. Quote with attribution and a link.
---

# CVE-2026-92939: vm2 crypto builtin loads attacker native code through setEngine

**Signal:** Critical, preconditions apply. Severe if exploited, but exploitation needs conditions that may not apply to you. (Computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS; not an editorial verdict.)

## Should you act?

- Not in CISA KEV , but CISA’s SSVC assessment records a public proof-of-concept, so attack code exists.
- EPSS 0.6% , percentile 49: FIRST’s model estimates a 0.6% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 49% of all scored CVEs (low). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
- Needs an account (low (any account)). Exposure depends on who can log in.
- Only applies if your dependency tree includes vm2 (npm) >= 3.11.3, <= 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 3.11.3 through 3.11.6 exposes the host Node.js crypto module to a NodeVM sandbox when the crypto builtin is allowed. The module is presented via a recursive read-only proxy, but its callable exports still execute with host-process authority. Sandboxed JavaScript can therefore call crypto.setEngine() with a filesystem path to an attacker-supplied native library (for example, one bundled in an untrusted plugin package already written to disk); OpenSSL asks the operating-system dynamic loader to load the file, and the library's constructor executes native code in the host process before engine-symbol validation rejects it. Exploitation requires only the crypto builtin and does not require fs, process, module, childprocess, workerthreads, vm, or inspector access, resulting in a sandbox escape and arbitrary native code execution. Fixed in 3.11.7.

## Affected packages

- npm `vm2` >= 3.11.3, <= 3.11.6 → fixed: 3.11.7

## Affected products (CVE record)

- patriksimek vm2: 3.11.3 < 3.11.7

## Severity

- VulnCheck CVSS 4.0: 9.4 `CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H`
- VulnCheck CVSS 3.1: 9.9 `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`
- GitHub CVSS 3.1: 9.9 `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`

## Exploitation

- CISA KEV: not listed (no confirmed in-the-wild exploitation known to CISA).
- CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation poc , automatable no , technical impact total .
- FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 0.62% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 49.

## Sources

- [GitHub Security Advisory (GHSA-46pr-c5wc-xffx)](https://github.com/patriksimek/vm2/security/advisories/GHSA-46pr-c5wc-xffx)
- [GitHub Advisory GHSA-46pr-c5wc-xffx](https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-46pr-c5wc-xffx)
- [CVE.org record CVE-2026-92939](https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-92939)
- [NVD entry CVE-2026-92939](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-92939)
- [VulnCheck Advisory: vm2 3.11.3 through 3.11.6 Native Code Execution via crypto.setEngine](https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/vm2-3.11.3-through-3.11.6-native-code-execution-via-crypto-setengine)
- [github.com](https://github.com/patriksimek/vm2/commit/aa146a77f859325e079f3bfbfe6d8309af483daa)
- [github.com](https://github.com/patriksimek/vm2/releases/tag/v3.11.7)

---
Source page: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2026-92939/ · Security Digest: https://erroneo.us/security/ · More: https://erroneo.us/llms.txt