CVE-2023-29017
Vm2 Project Vm2 ≤ 3.9.15
Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:HCVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.
Summary
CVE-2023-29017 is a critical-severity Improper Control of Dynamically-Managed Code Resources (CWE-913) vulnerability in Vm2 Project Vm2. Its CVSS base score is 10.0 (Critical).
Operationally, ranked in the top 0.8% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
vm2 is a JavaScript sandbox used to execute untrusted code while restricting access to a whitelist of Node.js built-in modules. The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2023-29017, affects all versions prior to 3.9.15 and stems from improper handling of host objects passed to Error.prepareStackTrace during unhandled asynchronous errors. This flaw is assigned CWE-913 and carries a CVSS 3.1 base score of 10.0, reflecting its critical severity.
An attacker able to supply code to the sandbox can trigger the mishandling condition to escape the vm2 isolation boundary, obtaining arbitrary code execution on the underlying host system. Exploitation requires no authentication or user interaction and can be performed over the network, making any application that embeds an affected vm2 instance directly exposed.
The issue was resolved in vm2 3.9.15 by a commit that corrects the stack-trace handling path. The accompanying GitHub Security Advisory and issue tracker entries state there are no known workarounds, so the only mitigation is to upgrade to the patched release.
EPSS for the CVE reached a peak of 0.7944 and currently stands at 0.7496 after receding, indicating sustained and material interest in exploitation following disclosure.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2023-1229
Vulnerability Data
vm2 is a sandbox that can run untrusted code with whitelisted Node's built-in modules. Prior to version 3.9.15, vm2 was not properly handling host objects passed to `Error.prepareStackTrace` in case of unhandled async errors. A threat actor could bypass the…
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sandbox protections to gain remote code execution rights on the host running the sandbox. This vulnerability was patched in the release of version 3.9.15 of vm2. There are no known workarounds.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Likely Mitigating Controls AI
Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.
Requiring explicit authorization and ongoing control of mobile code implements proper management of dynamically loaded code resources.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
A.8.25 mandates secure SDLC practices (secure coding guidelines, security requirements, checkpoints, testing, developer training and capability) that reach improper control of dynamic code resources when they manifest as injection, insecure deserialization or logic flaws in first-party code; this stops exploitation for that slice but leaves a bounded remainder (e.g. third-party libraries, runtime configuration, or outsourced development that evades the org's rules)
Application security requirements explicitly address restrictions on dynamic code execution and resource access.
Secure architecture principles require design controls that prevent improper dynamic code resource manipulation.
Secure coding standards directly prohibit unsafe dynamic code resource handling and injection patterns.
Security testing can detect dynamic code weaknesses but does not prevent them at design or coding time.
Hardening callouts derived
DISA STIG baselines are authored against specific weaknesses. Where this CVE cites a broad weakness class, the mapping is not asserted at that abstraction (owner ruling, 2026-09-25: grade only at Base and below), so no rule is shown here rather than a rule shown against the wrong grain.
- No fine-grained STIG row for CWE-913, a class-level weakness, and none of its children carries one either.