Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2026-27903 is a denial-of-service flaw in the Node.js minimatch package. If an attacker can supply glob patterns processed by an affected version, a small crafted pattern can stall the JavaScript event loop for seconds, disrupting services or CI jobs. The issue is fixed in multiple maintained release lines.
Executive priority
Treat as a high-priority availability issue where untrusted users can influence build, configuration, or filtering patterns. Patch exposed Node.js services and CI systems promptly. Lower priority for internal-only uses with fixed trusted patterns.
Technical view
Affected minimatch versions perform unbounded recursive backtracking in matchOne() when patterns contain multiple non-adjacent GLOBSTAR segments and the path does not match. The advisory describes binomial time complexity and no memoization or call budget. Impact is availability only under the published CVSS vector.
Likely exposure
Exposure is likely in Node.js applications, build tooling, CI/CD pipelines, task runners, or multi-tenant services that pass user-controlled glob patterns into minimatch. Systems using minimatch only with trusted, static patterns have lower practical risk.
Exploitation context
The source bundle does not indicate known active exploitation, and KEV is false. Exploitation requires attacker influence over the glob pattern evaluated by minimatch. Public sources describe event-loop stalls lasting seconds to tens of seconds per invocation.
Researcher notes
The reported weakness is CWE-407 algorithmic complexity. The key triage question is pattern control, not just package presence. Validate dependency versions and whether minimatch() receives tenant, repository, admin, developer, or request-controlled glob input.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade minimatch to 10.2.3, 9.0.7, 8.0.6, 7.4.8, 6.2.2, 5.1.8, 4.2.5, or 3.1.3.
- Prioritize services where untrusted users can submit glob, ignore-rule, filter, or build configuration patterns.
- Restrict or validate user-supplied glob patterns until upgrades are deployed.
- Review vendor advisory and package manager dependency resolution for transitive minimatch copies.
Validation and detection
- Inventory direct and transitive minimatch versions in Node.js projects.
- Confirm no deployed dependency falls within the affected version ranges.
- Identify code paths that pass user-controlled patterns to minimatch.
- Check CI/CD and developer tooling for user-submitted configuration using glob patterns.
- After upgrade, verify resolved package versions match the fixed release lines.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-407: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2026-27903 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 7.5 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H3.93.6Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.5HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://github.com/isaacs/minimatch/security/advisories/GHSA-7r86-cg39-jmmjCVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Inefficient Algorithmic Complexity
Inefficient Algorithmic Complexity represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.
