nvm resolves a requested version or alias by treating it as a filename under $NVM_DIR/alias. Before 0.40.8, nvm_alias() concatenated the requested name onto that directory and read the result with no containment check, so a name containing a `..` component escaped the alias directory; under the default layout an alias such as `../../.npmrc` resolves to a file in the user's home directory. nvm_print_alias_file() then emits every non-comment, non-empty line of whatever was opened. A version string taken from an untrusted .nvmrc reaches this path, so a developer who runs `nvm use`, `nvm install`, or `nvm which` inside an attacker-supplied repository discloses the first non-comment line of an arbitrary file readable by that user, in the resulting "is not yet installed" error message. A user-supplied `nvm alias <traversing-name>` discloses every non-comment line of the target file. There is no integrity or availability impact, and no command execution on this path.

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Fixes

Solution

Upgrade to nvm 0.40.8 or later, which rejects any `..` path component in nvm_alias() and nvm_version_path().


Workaround

No workaround given by the vendor.

History

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 02:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description nvm resolves a requested version or alias by treating it as a filename under $NVM_DIR/alias. Before 0.40.8, nvm_alias() concatenated the requested name onto that directory and read the result with no containment check, so a name containing a `..` component escaped the alias directory; under the default layout an alias such as `../../.npmrc` resolves to a file in the user's home directory. nvm_print_alias_file() then emits every non-comment, non-empty line of whatever was opened. A version string taken from an untrusted .nvmrc reaches this path, so a developer who runs `nvm use`, `nvm install`, or `nvm which` inside an attacker-supplied repository discloses the first non-comment line of an arbitrary file readable by that user, in the resulting "is not yet installed" error message. A user-supplied `nvm alias <traversing-name>` discloses every non-comment line of the target file. There is no integrity or availability impact, and no command execution on this path.
Title nvm alias resolution follows `..` and discloses files outside $NVM_DIR/alias
Weaknesses CWE-200
CWE-22
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N'}

cvssV4_0

{'score': 6.7, 'vector': 'CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N'}


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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: harborist

Published:

Updated: 2026-09-21T02:27:00.752Z

Reserved: 2026-09-21T02:14:56.481Z

Link: CVE-2026-94185

cve-icon Vulnrichment

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cve-icon NVD

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cve-icon Redhat

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cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

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Weaknesses