vm2 crypto builtin loads attacker native code through setEngine (Critical severity, CVE-2026-92939)
A critical-severity advisory for the npm package vm2 is fixed in version 3.11.7.
Key points
- vm2 (npm) has a critical flaw.
- Tracked as CVE-2026-92939.
- Version 3.11.7.
Maintainers of vm2, a package in the npm ecosystem, have published a critical-severity security advisory (CVE-2026-92939): vm2 crypto builtin loads attacker native code through setEngine.
At a glance
- Advisory
- GHSA-46pr-c5wc-xffx
- CVE
- CVE-2026-92939
- Package
- vm2 (npm)
- Severity
- Critical
- Patched in
- 3.11.7
What is the issue?
The GitHub-reviewed advisory explains: Summary vm2 3.11.6 exposes the host crypto module to a NodeVM when that single builtin is allowed. The module is presented through a read-only bridge, but its functions still execute with host-process authority. crypto.setEngine() accepts a filesystem path and asks OpenSSL to dynamically load the referenced native library. An attacker whose untrusted plugin package contains a native library can therefore load that library into the host process by calling crypto.setEngine() from sandboxed JavaScript. The native library's constructor executes before OpenSSL finishes validating whether the file is a usable engine. Consequently, even the expected ERR_CRYPTO_ENGINE_UNKNOWN exception occurs only after arbitrary native code has already run. The exploit requires only the crypto builtin. It does not require fs, process, module, child_process, worker_threads, vm, inspector, unrestricted builtins,
Affected versions
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable | Patched |
|---|---|---|---|
| npm | vm2 | >= 3.11.3, <= 3.11.6 | 3.11.7 |
The advisory lists a CVSS score of 9.9.
How to fix it
- Upgrade the affected package to the first patched version listed above.
- Rebuild and redeploy applications that bundle the vulnerable dependency.
- Run your dependency scanner (npm audit, pip-audit, Dependabot) to find transitive uses.
- Review the advisory references for workaround details if you cannot upgrade yet.
What to do and how to stay safe: CVE-2026-92939
- Patch scores alone ignore context like network exposure and asset criticality.
- You must map vulnerabilities to specific business risks to prioritize correctly.
- Continuous exposure data replaces static scanning for accurate prioritization.
Prioritize vulnerabilities by actual exploitability and business impact, not by theoretical severity scores. Update your asset context and exposure data continuously to maintain accurate risk rankings.
Step-by-step guide: Risk Based Vulnerability Management: Prioritize Fixes by Actual Threat
General security guidance from the Threat Times newsroom. It is not confirmed advice from the organisations named in this story.
Frequently asked questions
What is CVE-2026-92939?
CVE-2026-92939 is a security vulnerability in vm2 (npm).
Which version fixes CVE-2026-92939?
The fix is in version 3.11.7.
