Duplicate Advisory: NodeVM nesting guard accepts array-shaped require and permits host RCE
## Duplicate Advisory This advisory has been withdrawn because it is a duplicate of GHSA-8hr7-r645-pc6w. This link is maintained to preserve external references. ## Original Description vm2 is a sandbox for running untrusted Node.js code. In versions >= 3.11.4 and <= 3.11.6, the NodeVM constructor computes `hasRealRequireConfig` with `typeof requireOpts === 'object' && requireOpts !== null`, so an array-shaped `require` value (for example `require: []`) satisfies the guard that is meant to reject nesting without an explicit require configuration. `makeResolverFromLegacyOptions()` then destructures the array into undefined option fields and returns a resolver containing only `NESTING_OVERRIDE.vm2`. As a result, an attacker who can supply JavaScript executed by a NodeVM configured with truthy `nesting` and an array-shaped `require` (e.g. `new NodeVM({nesting: true, require: []})`) can require the host `vm2` module, create an inner NodeVM with an attacker-chosen builtin allowlist (such as `child_process`), and execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the host Node.js process, escaping the sandbox. Outer builtin restrictions do not constrain the attacker-created inner NodeVM. This issue is fixed in vm2 3.11.7.
GHSA-9fxx-mv6c-j5xp
Primary source · Revision 1 · Withdrawn
Imported from structured advisory data. Source references identify upstream records or fields; verify affected versions and your deployed configuration.
Security context
Source reference: osv:GHSA-9fxx-mv6c-j5xp
vm2
Source reference: /affected/0/package/name
- Affected versions
- Not stated in this record
- Fixed versions
- Not stated in this record
- Prerequisites
- Not stated in this record
Structured affected-version data
Original package identities and version rules from this source.
[
{
"ranges": [
{
"type": "SEMVER",
"events": [
{
"introduced": "3.11.4"
},
{
"last_affected": "3.11.6"
}
]
}
],
"package": {
"name": "vm2",
"purl": "pkg:npm/vm2",
"ecosystem": "npm"
},
"database_specific": {
"source": "https://github.com/github/advisory-database/blob/main/advisories/github-reviewed/2026/09/GHSA-9fxx-mv6c-j5xp/GHSA-9fxx-mv6c-j5xp.json"
}
}
]Publisher severity
critical
Source reference: /database_specific/severity
- Event
- #61277 · Revision 1
- Added to Heist Feed
- Publisher date