CVE-2023-29199
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedThere exists a vulnerability in source code transformer (exception sanitization logic) of vm2 for versions up to 3.9.15, allowing attackers to bypass `handleException()` and leak unsanitized host exceptions which can be used to escape the sandbox and run arbitrary code in host context. A threat actor can bypass the sandbox protections to gain remote code execution rights on the host running the sandbox. This vulnerability was patched in the release of version `3.9.16` of `vm2`.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidencevm2 versions up to 3.9.15 contain a vulnerability in the source code transformer's exception sanitization logic. Attackers can bypass the handleException() function to leak unsanitized host exceptions, enabling sandbox escape and arbitrary code execution on the host system.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data< 3.9.16CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Changed
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify vm2 package versionRun 'npm list vm2' in the project directory, or check package.json dependencies for the vm2 version entryAffected if The installed version is lower than 3.9.16 (e.g., 3.9.15, 3.9.14, etc.)
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Confirm node_modules vm2 versionInspect the node_modules/vm2/package.json file and locate the 'version' fieldAffected if The version field shows a version less than 3.9.16
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Verify sandbox transformation is in useSearch project code for imports or requires of 'vm2' and usage of the VM, Node, or SandboxedVM classesAffected if The codebase actively uses vm2 to run untrusted code in a sandboxed environment
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Check for exception handling pathsReview code that invokes vm2 and look for try/catch blocks or .run() calls that process exceptionsAffected if The application catches or processes exceptions thrown from vm2 sandbox execution
A user is affected if vm2 version 3.9.15 or earlier is installed and the sandbox is used to execute untrusted code, allowing potential bypass of exception sanitization.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scoped3.9.16
Upgrade vm2 to version 3.9.16 or later to patch the vulnerability. Review all code paths using the sandbox to ensure proper functionality after the update.
vm2 version 3.9.16
- 1. Identify the vm2 dependency in your project by checking package.json or package-lock.json
- 2. Run `npm list vm2` to confirm the current installed version
- 3. Upgrade to vm2 version 3.9.16 or later using: `npm install [email protected]` or `npm update vm2`
- 4. Verify the upgrade was successful by running `npm list vm2`
- 5. Test that your application functions correctly with the updated vm2 version
- 6. Rebuild and redeploy your application
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation3.0 h
- Implementation2.0 h
- Testing6.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-29199 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2023-29199 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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