Vulnerability in vm2 (CVE-2026-47137)
Summary
Vulnerability in vm2 (CVE-2026-47137). Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover. Exploitable via nodevm.js. Mitigation: upgrade to 3.11.4 or later.
Original description
The description as published by the source.
Summary
The fix for GHSA-8hg8-63c5-gwmx (CVE-2023-37903) introduced a check in nodevm.js line 263 that blocks the combination nesting: true + require: false. However, the check uses strict equality (options.require === false), which is trivially bypassed by omitting the require option entirely.
When require is not specified, options.require is undefined, not false. The strict equality check fails, so the security guard is skipped. Immediately after (line 280), the destructuring default require: requireOpts = false assigns requireOpts = false, producing the exact configuration the patch was designed to prevent.
Root Cause
// nodevm.js:263 — the security check
if (options.nesting === true && options.require === false) {
throw new VMError('...');
}
// nodevm.js:280 — the default assignment (AFTER the check)
const { require: requireOpts = false } = options;
// When options.require is undefined:
// - Line 263: undefined === false → FALSE → check skipped
// - Line 280: requireOpts = false → same as require:false
Impact
Full Remote Code Execution on the host system. An attacker running code inside a NodeVM({ nesting: true }) sandbox (without specifying require) can:
require('vm2')to get the vm2 library- Construct an inner
NodeVMwithrequire: { builtin: ['child_process'] } - Execute arbitrary OS commands via
child_process.execSync
The inner VM is completely unconstrained by the outer sandbox configur…
Source: GitHub Security Advisories (Global) NVD GitHub Advisory
Auto-generated summary
Assembled by SecPulse from the source data (CVSS, CWE, affected versions) using templates — no AI involved. Check the original description and references below for exact details.
A vulnerability tracked as CVE-2026-47137 has been found in vm2.
Attackers can target a specific entry point like nodevm.js over the network to misuse the product.
Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover. CVSS score: 10.0/10.
What to do: upgrade vm2 to 3.11.4 or later.
If unsure, ask your IT team or search "vm2 CVE-2026-47137" on the vendor's site.
CVE-2026-47137 (vm2) — CWE-913 / CVSS v3 10.0
Attack vector: remote (network-reachable) / unauthenticated / no user interaction
Attack surface: nodevm.js / require / options.require / undefined
Patched: 3.11.4 — apply immediately
Plan: 1) Audit SBOM/dependencies, 2) Stage→prod upgrade, 3) Add WAF/proxy monitoring on affected endpoints, 4) Hunt IOCs in logs.
Refs: see the GHSA / vendor advisory / patched release linked on this page.
A vulnerability (CWE-913) exists in vm2. Attackers reach the vulnerable code path via nodevm.js without authentication.
Check the vendor advisory for the affected versions of vm2. Attack surface: nodevm.js / require / options.require / undefined.
Severity: Critical (CVSS 10.0/10). Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover.
Update to 3.11.4.
Until the patch is applied: disable the affected feature, apply WAF rules, or restrict access via network ACLs.
Search webserver/proxy logs for unusual request patterns matching this CVE's known IOCs. Run grep -r 'vm2' . against your dependency files (package-lock.json, requirements.txt, go.sum) to find affected services.
Response actions
Concrete steps and command examples for SOC/SRE teams to execute in order
-
1Identify exposure identify
grep -r 'vm2' . | grep -v node_modulesリポジトリと本番環境の依存ファイル (package-lock.json / requirements.txt / go.sum / Gemfile.lock 等) で
vm2を grep し、稼働しているサービス・バージョンを把握する。 -
2Apply patch patch
Upgrade vm2 to 3.11.4ステージング環境で 3.11.4 に上げて回帰テスト → 本番反映。回帰テストはアプリの主要ハッピーパスを含めること。
-
3Post-deployment verification verify
Confirm patched version is live in productionパッチ適用後、ステージングで PoC または同等の悪用パターンを再現して脆弱性が閉じたことを確認。本番ではアクセスログ・WAF でアラート再発が無いか継続監視。
Affected packages
References
- advisory nvd.nist.gov
- package github.com
- web github.com
- web github.com
- web github.com
- web github.com
- web github.com
- web security-advisories@github.com