CVE-2026-94185: nvm-sh nvm Path Traversal

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2026-94185 is a medium (CVSS 6.7) Path Traversal vulnerability in nvm-sh nvm. EPSS estimates a 0.22% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 11.9% of scored vulnerabilities.

Timeline

1. 21-09-2026
   PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
2. 21-09-2026
   Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

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.

• CWE-22Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')The product uses external input to construct a pathname that is intended to identify a file or directory that is located underneath a restricted parent directory, but the product does not properly neutralize special elements within the pathname that can cause the pathname to resolve to a location that is outside of the restricted directory.
• CWE-200Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized ActorThe product exposes sensitive information to an actor that is not explicitly authorized to have access to that information.