# CVE-2026-44003: vm2: Transformer Fast-Path Bypass Exposes Internal State Variable

> Attackers can bypass vm2 sandbox restrictions to access internal security functions, potentially leading to code execution.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 13 May 2026
- **Updated:** 13 May 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-wp5r-2gw5-m7q7, ROOT-APP-NPM-CVE-2026-44003

## What is CVE-2026-44003?

CVE-2026-44003 is a medium-severity vulnerability in patriksimek vm2, published on 13 May 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

vm2 is an open source vm/sandbox for Node.js. Prior to 3.11.0, vm2's code transformer has a performance optimization that skips AST analysis when the code does not contain catch, import, or async keywords. This fast-path bypass allows sandboxed code to directly access the internal VM2_INTERNAL_STATE_DO_NOT_USE_OR_PROGRAM_WILL_FAIL variable, which exposes internal security functions (handleException, wrapWith, import). This vulnerability is fixed in 3.11.0.

Weakness: CWE-693 (Protection Mechanism Failure)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-44003?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including vm2. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `vm2` | npm | All versions | 3.11.0 |
| `vm2` | npm | All versions | 3.11.0 |

Products: Vm2 Project Vm2.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-44003?

Upgrade vm2 to 3.11.0 or later.

## Is CVE-2026-44003 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-44003 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in patriksimek vm2

- [CVE-2026-43997](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-43997/): vm2: Sandbox Escape (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2026-44005](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-44005/): vm2: Sandbox escape (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2026-44006](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-44006/): vm2: Sandbox Escape (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2023-29017](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-29017/): vm2 Sandbox Escape vulnerability (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2022-36067](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-36067/): vm2 vulnerable to Sandbox Escape before v3.9.11 (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-44003 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-44003 is a medium-severity vulnerability in patriksimek vm2, published on 13 May 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-44003 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- vm2 (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 3.11.0
- vm2 (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 3.11.0

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-44003/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-44003/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-44003
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-44003
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-44003

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-44003/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.