CVE-2026-43998 HIGH

CVE-2026-43998: vm2: NodeVM require.root bypass via symlink traversal allows sandbox escape

Vendor Patriksimek
Product vm2
Weakness CWE-59
Published May 13, 2026
Last update June 30, 2026

CVSS base score

8.5/10
Attack vector Network
Attack complexity High
Privileges required Low
User interaction None
Confidentiality High
Integrity High

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

What the vulnerability does

01Description

vm2 is an open source vm/sandbox for Node.js. In 3.10.5, NodeVM's require.root path restriction can be bypassed using filesystem symlinks, allowing sandboxed code to load modules from outside the allowed root directory in host context. Because path validation uses path.resolve() (which does not dereference symlinks) but module loading uses Node's native require() (which does), an attacker can load arbitrary host-realm modules and achieve remote code execution. This vulnerability is fixed in 3.11.0.

Key dates

02Disclosure timeline

May 13, 2026 CVE published
June 30, 2026 Record updated