Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
vm2 versions before 3.11.2 may fail to contain untrusted JavaScript when a null-prototype exception is involved. A successful sandbox breakout could let attacker-controlled code affect the hosting Node.js process and its accessible data or services. The supplied CVSS rating is 9.8, making exposed uses urgent to remediate.
Executive priority
Treat internet-reachable or multi-tenant uses as an immediate remediation priority because sandbox failure can undermine the security boundary entirely. Upgrade promptly and validate production deployment. Internally isolated uses still require expedited remediation, with sequencing based on input trust and host-process privileges.
Technical view
CVE-2026-44009 is a sandbox isolation failure in patriksimek vm2 before 3.11.2, described as a breakout through a null-prototype exception. The supplied record maps it to insufficient compartmentalization and unintended resource exposure. Version 3.11.2 fixes the vulnerability; the bundle provides no further root-cause detail.
Likely exposure
Applications are potentially exposed when they use vm2 below 3.11.2 to execute untrusted or attacker-influenced JavaScript. Risk depends on whether attackers can reach those execution paths and what resources the hosting Node.js process can access. The bundle does not identify specific affected applications or deployments.
Exploitation context
The CVSS vector describes remote, low-complexity exploitation requiring neither privileges nor user interaction, with high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact. However, the bundle reports KEV as false and provides no cited evidence of active exploitation or a public proof of concept. Absence from KEV does not prove exploitation is absent.
Researcher notes
The supplied advisory metadata establishes the affected range and fixed version but omits detailed vulnerable code paths, prerequisites, and patch mechanics. Researchers should review the vendor advisory and version changes defensively, focusing on exception crossing and sandbox-boundary assumptions without testing against systems lacking explicit authorization.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade vm2 to version 3.11.2 or later.
- Identify direct and transitive vm2 dependencies below 3.11.2.
- Prioritize services that execute untrusted or externally supplied JavaScript.
- Restrict affected execution paths until upgraded if immediate remediation is impossible.
- Limit the hosting process's credentials, filesystem access, and network reach.
Validation and detection
- Confirm manifests, lockfiles, and deployed artifacts resolve vm2 3.11.2 or later.
- Inventory every application and service that imports vm2 directly or transitively.
- Determine whether attacker-controlled JavaScript can reach each vm2 execution path.
- Regression-test sandbox rejection and exception handling using safe, non-weaponized cases.
- Verify updated workloads were rebuilt and redeployed, not merely changed in source.
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-653: 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 lookupCWE-668: 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-2026-44009 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
- Critical
- CVSS
- 9.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
2 official scoresWe 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:H/I:H/A:H3.95.9GitHub_MCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H3.95.9redhat-SADPVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
9.8CriticalVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Base CVSS 3.1 score
9.8CriticalVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- ADP timelineredhat-SADP
Made public.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- ADP timelineredhat-SADP
Reported to Red Hat.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
- 2026-05-13T18:01:02.062Z: Reported to Red Hat.
- 2026-05-13T17:36:07.309Z: Made public.
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://github.com/patriksimek/vm2/security/advisories/GHSA-9vg3-4rfj-wgcmCVE reference, GitHub_M · x_refsource_CONFIRM
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-44009CVE reference, redhat-SADP · vdb-entry, x_refsource_REDHAT
- RHBZ#2477185CVE reference, redhat-SADP · issue-tracking, x_refsource_REDHAT
- https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-44009.jsonCVE reference, redhat-SADP · x_sadp-csaf-vex
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:50850CVE reference, redhat-SADP · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
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.
Improper Isolation or Compartmentalization
Improper Isolation or Compartmentalization represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.
Exposure of Resource to Wrong Sphere
Exposure of Resource to Wrong Sphere represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.