Node Version Manager (nvm) is a POSIX-compliant shell function for managing multiple node.js versions. In versions 0.40.0 through 0.40.8, when `NVM_AUTH_HEADER` is set, `nvm_download` passes the credential to curl or wget as a `--header "Authorization: ..."` command-line argument. Process arguments are visible to every local user (on Linux via `ps` or `/proc//cmdline` unless `/proc` is mounted with `hidepid=`; on macOS via `ps`), so another unprivileged account on the same machine can read the token while nvm is downloading during `nvm ls-remote`, `nvm install`, and similar commands, and gain whatever access it grants on the private mirror. Only users who set `NVM_AUTH_HEADER` on a host shared with other local accounts are affected. Version 0.41.0 passes the header to curl on stdin and to GNU Wget in a private temporary config file. BusyBox wget reads no config file, so when it is the only downloader available the header is still passed as an argument.

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Fixes

Solution

Upgrade to nvm 0.41.0 or later, and on a machine shared with other local users make sure curl or GNU Wget is installed (BusyBox wget still receives the header as an argument).


Workaround

Until upgrading, do not set `NVM_AUTH_HEADER` on machines shared with other local users, or mount `/proc` with `hidepid=2` on Linux.

History

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 21:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description Node Version Manager (nvm) is a POSIX-compliant shell function for managing multiple node.js versions. In versions 0.40.0 through 0.40.8, when `NVM_AUTH_HEADER` is set, `nvm_download` passes the credential to curl or wget as a `--header "Authorization: ..."` command-line argument. Process arguments are visible to every local user (on Linux via `ps` or `/proc//cmdline` unless `/proc` is mounted with `hidepid=`; on macOS via `ps`), so another unprivileged account on the same machine can read the token while nvm is downloading during `nvm ls-remote`, `nvm install`, and similar commands, and gain whatever access it grants on the private mirror. Only users who set `NVM_AUTH_HEADER` on a host shared with other local accounts are affected. Version 0.41.0 passes the header to curl on stdin and to GNU Wget in a private temporary config file. BusyBox wget reads no config file, so when it is the only downloader available the header is still passed as an argument.
Title nvm exposes NVM_AUTH_HEADER to other local users on the curl/wget command line
Weaknesses CWE-214
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 2.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N'}

cvssV4_0

{'score': 2, 'vector': 'CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N'}


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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: harborist

Published:

Updated: 2026-11-04T21:28:03.234Z

Reserved: 2026-11-03T23:38:59.223Z

Link: CVE-2026-121745

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-11-04T22:17:53.970

Modified: 2026-11-04T22:17:53.970

Link: CVE-2026-121745

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

No data.

Weaknesses