vm2: NodeVM builtin allowlist bypass via `module` builtin's `Module._load` allows sandbox escape
Summary
| CVE | CVE-2026-43999 |
|---|---|
| State | PUBLISHED |
| Assigner | GitHub_M |
| Source Priority | CVE Program / NVD first with legacy fallback |
| Published | 2026-05-13 18:16:16 UTC |
| Updated | 2026-07-15 02:21:47 UTC |
| Description | vm2 is an open source vm/sandbox for Node.js. Prior to 3.11.0, NodeVM's builtin allowlist can be bypassed when the module builtin is allowed (including via the '*' wildcard). The module builtin exposes Node's Module._load(), which loads any module by name directly in the host context, completely bypassing vm2's builtin restriction. This allows sandboxed code to load excluded builtins like child_process and achieve remote code execution. This vulnerability is fixed in 3.11.0. |
Risk And Classification
Primary CVSS: v3.1 9.9 CRITICAL from ADP
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS: 0.009740000 probability, percentile 0.581200000 (date 2026-07-18)
Problem Types: CWE-863 | CWE-829 | CWE-863 CWE-863: Incorrect Authorization | CWE-829 Inclusion of Functionality from Untrusted Control Sphere
| Version | Source | Type | Score | Severity | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | ADP | CVSS | 9.9 | CRITICAL | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| 3.1 | [email protected] | Secondary | 9.9 | CRITICAL | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| 3.1 | 0b0ca135-0b70-47e7-9f44-1890c2a1c46c | Secondary | 9.9 | CRITICAL | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| 3.1 | CNA | DECLARED | 9.9 | CRITICAL | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H |
CVSS v3.1 Breakdown
Attack Vector
NetworkAttack Complexity
LowPrivileges Required
LowUser Interaction
NoneScope
ChangedConfidentiality
HighIntegrity
HighAvailability
HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVD Known Affected Configurations (CPE 2.3)
| Type | Vendor | Product | Version | Update | Edition | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application | Vm2 Project | Vm2 | All | All | All | All |
Vendor Declared Affected Products
| Source | Vendor | Product | Version | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CNA | Patriksimek | Vm2 | affected < 3.11.0 | Not specified |
| ADP | Red Hat | Red Hat Developer Hub | Not specified | Not specified |
| ADP | Red Hat | Self-service Automation Portal 2 | Not specified | Not specified |
References
| Reference | Source | Link | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|
| security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-43999.json | 0b0ca135-0b70-47e7-9f44-1890c2a1c46c | security.access.redhat.com | |
| github.com/patriksimek/vm2/security/advisories/GHSA-947f-4v7f-x2v8 | 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 | github.com | Exploit, Mitigation, Vendor Advisory |
| bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi | 0b0ca135-0b70-47e7-9f44-1890c2a1c46c | bugzilla.redhat.com | |
| access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-43999 | 0b0ca135-0b70-47e7-9f44-1890c2a1c46c | access.redhat.com | |
| CVE Program record | CVE.ORG | www.cve.org | canonical |
| NVD vulnerability detail | NVD | nvd.nist.gov | canonical, analysis |
No vendor comments have been submitted for this CVE.
Additional Advisory Data
| Source | Time | Event |
|---|---|---|
| ADP | 2026-05-13T18:01:40.919Z | Reported to Red Hat. |
| ADP | 2026-05-13T17:21:22.308Z | Made public. |
There are currently no legacy QID mappings associated with this CVE.