CVE-2026-47141: Vm2 NodeVM Observability Builtins Leak Host Vulnerability

{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-9g8x-92q2-p28f",
  "modified" : "2026-06-12T19:30:13Z",
  "published" : "2026-05-29T18:20:45Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-47141" ],
  "summary" : "NodeVM observability builtins leak host process and HTTP request data",
  "details" : "## Summary\n\n`NodeVM` exposes some process-wide observability builtins when they are allowed through `require.builtin`.\n\nThe following builtins are not blocked by the dangerous builtin denylist:\n\n```text\ndiagnostics_channel\nasync_hooks\nperf_hooks\n```\n\nThese modules are process-wide, not sandbox-local. Sandboxed code can use them to observe host application data across the vm2 boundary.\n\n**Note**: It is a host data exposure issue. The impact depends on whether the host application allows these builtins and uses HTTP, async request context, diagnostics channels, or performance marks in the same process.\n\n## Details\n\nNon-denied builtins are exposed to the sandbox through `lib/builtin.js`:\n\n```js\nbuiltins.set(key, special ? special : vm => vm.readonly(hostRequire(key)));\n```\n\n`diagnostics_channel`, `async_hooks`, and `perf_hooks` are not denied. These modules expose host process state rather than sandbox-local state.\n\nConfirmed examples:\n\n1. `diagnostics_channel` lets sandboxed code subscribe to Node.js HTTP diagnostic channels such as `http.server.request.start`. The sandbox receives host HTTP request objects and can read headers such as `Authorization` or session tokens.\n2. `async_hooks.executionAsyncResource()` lets sandboxed code read the current host `AsyncResource`. If the host stores request/user data on that resource, the sandbox can read it.\n3. `perf_hooks.performance.getEntriesByType('mark')` lets sandboxed code read host performance timeline entries.\n\n## PoC\n\nRun from the vm2 repository root:\n\n```bash\nnode poc/observability-builtins-info-leak.js\n```\n[observability-builtins-info-leak.js](https://github.com/user-attachments/files/27571259/observability-builtins-info-leak.js)\n\nThe PoC uses only the specific builtin being tested in each section.\n\nIt confirms:\n\n```text\ndiagnostics_channel: sandbox reads host HTTP request headers\nasync_hooks: sandbox reads host AsyncResource data\nperf_hooks: sandbox reads host performance mark names\n```\n\nExample impact from the PoC:\n\n```text\nauthorization: Bearer HOST_HTTP_SECRET_...\nx-session-token: HOST_HTTP_SECRET_...\n```\n\nThese values are sent to a host HTTP server, but the sandbox reads them through `diagnostics_channel`.\n\n<img width=\"997\" height=\"566\" alt=\"Screenshot 2026-05-10 at 1 13 20 PM\" src=\"https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/36a7d600-8b53-4bfe-ab06-4e6dcfad5015\" />\n\n## Impact\n\nAn attacker who can run untrusted JavaScript inside `NodeVM` with affected builtin settings can observe data from the host process.\n\nIn a real application, this may expose HTTP request headers, authorization tokens, session tokens, request context values, user identifiers, or other sensitive diagnostics data from the host application or from other users.\n\n## Suggested fix\n\nTreat process-wide observability modules as dangerous builtins for untrusted sandboxes.\n\nAt minimum, consider blocking:\n\n```text\ndiagnostics_channel\nasync_hooks\nperf_hooks\n```\n\nThese modules are not sandbox-local and can expose host process state across the vm2 boundary.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:L/SI:N/SA:N/E:U"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "vm2"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "3.11.4"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 3.11.3"
    }
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/patriksimek/vm2/security/advisories/GHSA-9g8x-92q2-p28f"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-47141"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/patriksimek/vm2/commit/e1c48fce05189f48e71efbd32af0754efa4066bb"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/patriksimek/vm2"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/patriksimek/vm2/releases/tag/v3.11.4"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-668" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-05-29T18:20:45Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2026-06-12T15:16:28Z"
  }
}