CVE-2026-100721: Auth Bypass (CVSS 9)

Description

vm2 before 3.12.2 contains an authorization bypass in the NodeVM external-module resolver. When an embedder configures `require.external` with a custom resolver (and `context: 'host'`), `LegacyResolver.customResolve` in lib/resolver-compat.js records the resolved module directory in `this.externals` as `new RegExp('^' + escapeRegExp(resolvedPath))`, without requiring a path separator or end-of-string boundary. Untrusted guest code can therefore require the allowlisted module (e.g. `foo`) and then require the absolute path of a non-allowlisted sibling whose path merely shares the resolved prefix (e.g. `.../node_modules/foo2/index.js`); the sibling passes `isPathAllowedForModule` and is loaded through `hostRequire`, so its top-level code runs in the host process before the exports are wrapped with `vm.readonly`, resulting in a sandbox escape and arbitrary code execution in the host context.

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CVSS v3.1 Score

9.0

CRITICAL

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

EPSS — Exploit Prediction

0.0040

Probability of exploitation

0.33%

Percentile rank

EPSS estimates the probability that this vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. A higher score means more likely to be exploited.

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-863 Incorrect Authorization

References

Other References

https://github.com/patriksimek/vm2/commit/6ac3916da84e060c403e407b6b6318fcc66b0e72 https://github.com/patriksimek/vm2/commit/91034466bfb7f56b95fd48083ec6ca36d058f164 https://github.com/patriksimek/vm2/commit/ab4ee7d803e8c80155e9eb3672226bddbca4aa9c https://github.com/patriksimek/vm2/security/advisories/GHSA-5h3f-q97h-ccvc https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/vm2-before-3.12.2-authorization-bypass-via-custom-resolver

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-100721? +

vm2 before 3.12.2 contains an authorization bypass in the NodeVM external-module resolver. When an embedder configures `require.external` with a custom resolver (and `context: 'host'`), `LegacyResolver.customResolve` in lib/resolver-compat.js records the resolved module directory in `this.externals` as `new RegExp('^' + escapeRegExp(resolvedPath))`, without requiring a path separator or end-of-string boundary. Untrusted guest code can therefore require the allowlisted module (e.g. `foo`) and then require the absolute path of a non-allowlisted sibling whose path merely shares the resolved prefix (e.g. `.../node_modules/foo2/index.js`); the sibling passes `isPathAllowedForModule` and is loaded through `hostRequire`, so its top-level code runs in the host process before the exports are wrapped with `vm.readonly`, resulting in a sandbox escape and arbitrary code execution in the host context. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.0 (CRITICAL).

How severe is CVE-2026-100721? +

CVE-2026-100721 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 9.0 out of 10, rated CRITICAL. This is a critical vulnerability that should be patched immediately. The EPSS score is 0.0040, placing it in the 0th percentile for exploitation probability.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2026-100721? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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