Host code execution via Promise species bypass
Published Jul 13, 2023 · Updated Jan 5, 2026
Code injection in Patrik Simek vm2 3.9.19 and earlier allows attackers to escape the sandbox and execute arbitrary host code. The Promise.prototype.then wrapper sanitizes rejection handlers but trusts a promise constructor's Symbol.species, letting an attacker-supplied constructor receive an unsanitized host exception. Exploitation requires the application to execute attacker-controlled asynchronous JavaScript inside a vm2 sandbox; escaped code runs with the host Node.js process's privileges.
Summary
What happened
Code injection in Patrik Simek vm2 3.9.19 and earlier allows attackers to escape the sandbox and execute arbitrary host code. The Promise.prototype.then wrapper sanitizes rejection handlers but trusts a promise constructor's Symbol.species, letting an attacker-supplied constructor receive an unsanitized host exception. Exploitation requires the application to execute attacker-controlled asynchronous JavaScript inside a vm2 sandbox; escaped code runs with the host Node.js process's privileges.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-37466
- Published
- Jul 13, 2023
- Updated
- Jan 5, 2026
- Vendor
- Patrik Simek
- Product
- vm2
- Classifications
- CWE-94, T1059.007
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jul 13, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jan 5, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=<= 3.9.19
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- Sandbox Escape in vm2 3.9.19 via Promise Symbol.speciesproof of concept · demonstrated
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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