vm2: Sandbox Escape (NodeVM)
## Summary It being possible to obtain the host `__proto__` getter/setter, has been used in many reports: - https://github.com/patriksimek/vm2/security/advisories/GHSA-vwrp-x96c-mhwq - https://github.com/patriksimek/vm2/security/advisories/GHSA-v6mx-mf47-r5wg - https://github.com/patriksimek/vm2/security/advisories/GHSA-grj5-jjm8-h35p - https://github.com/patriksimek/vm2/security/advisories/GHSA-47x8-96vw-5wg6 Yet it was never patched... --- This can, still, be used to escape the sandbox, one example (I'm sure there's other ways as well), is via `console._stdout`/`console._stderr` (`NodeVM` with `console: 'inherit'`, which is the default) ## Details The prototype chain for `console._stdout`/`console._stderr` is: ``` _stdout / _stderr -> WriteStream (TTY only) -> Socket -> Duplex -> Readable -> Stream -> EventEmitter ``` `process` is an `EventEmitter`, and nothing stops us from writing things to `EventEmmiter.prototype` By overwriting `EventEmmiter.prototype.emit` with a function, and making `process` emit an event (e.g. `exit`, `unhandledRejection` etc.), we can execute code with `this` being `process`. This also bypasses `--disallow-code-generation-from-strings`, which blocks the "usual" escape of obtaining the host function constructor. ## PoC ```js const { NodeVM } = require("vm2"); code = ` const gP = Buffer.call.call(__lookupGetter__,67,'__proto__'); // vm __proto__ getter console.log(__lookupGetter__.call(0,'__proto__').call(console._stderr)); // [Object: null prototype
GHSA-88hf-g992-jg85
Primary source · Revision 1
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-88hf-g992-jg85
vm2
Source reference: /affected/0/package/name
- Affected versions
- Not stated in this record
- Fixed versions
- 3.11.8
Source reference:
/affected/0/ranges - Prerequisites
- Not stated in this record
Structured affected-version data
Original package identities and version rules from this source.
[
{
"ranges": [
{
"type": "SEMVER",
"events": [
{
"introduced": "0"
},
{
"fixed": "3.11.8"
}
]
}
],
"package": {
"name": "vm2",
"purl": "pkg:npm/vm2",
"ecosystem": "npm"
},
"database_specific": {
"source": "https://github.com/github/advisory-database/blob/main/advisories/github-reviewed/2026/10/GHSA-88hf-g992-jg85/GHSA-88hf-g992-jg85.json",
"last_known_affected_version_range": "<= 3.11.7"
}
}
]- Related CVEs
- CVE-2026-92955
Source reference:
/aliases
Publisher severity
critical
Source reference: /database_specific/severity
- Event
- #85845 · Revision 1
- Added to Heist Feed
- Publisher date