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Response snapshot Oct 29, 2026, 18:26 UTC

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VulnerabilityCVE-2026-118905

Node Version Manager (nvm) is a POSIX-compliant shell function for managing multiple node.js versions.

Node Version Manager (nvm) is a POSIX-compliant shell function for managing multiple node.js versions. In versions 0.31.2 through 0.40.5, nvm_ls filters installed versions with a sed program that embeds the requested version pattern in a \#...# address, escaping . (and, since 0.40.

At a glance

Exploited
Not known
Severity
7.1 High (CVSS 4.0)
Chance of exploitation
Not estimated
Sources
1 source

What to do

Check the vendor advisory for affected versions and fixes.

Read NVD CVE-2026-118905 (opens a new tab)

What happened

Node Version Manager (nvm) is a POSIX-compliant shell function for managing multiple node.js versions. In versions 0.31.2 through 0.40.5, nvm_ls filters installed versions with a sed program that embeds the requested version pattern in a \#...# address, escaping . (and, since 0.40.4, #) but not backslash.

A version string containing # (or \#) therefore closes the address early, and the rest of it is parsed as sed commands: with GNU sed, the e command runs a shell command as the user; with BSD sed, the w and r commands write and read files.

This is reachable whenever an attacker-influenced version string is passed to nvm use, nvm which, nvm ls, nvm version, nvm run, or nvm exec, or to nvm-exec via NODE_VERSION, and at least one version is installed. nvm's own .nvmrc parser strips comments, so a bare nvm use is not affected; however, the bash cdnvm and zsh load-nvmrc auto-switch hooks documented in the README read .

nvmrc as-is and pass it to nvm ls and nvm version, so a user with one of those hooks installed runs the attacker's command just by changing into a directory under a malicious .nvmrc; scripts that run nvm use "$(cat .nvmrc)" are affected the same way. Version 0.40.6 passes any version pattern containing # or a newline through the .nvmrc content parser first, so no # reaches the sed program.

Scores and how they were measured

CVSS base severity

7.1

Version 4.0As of

CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X

Measurement source (opens a new tab)

How bad it is if exploited. Not a prediction of exploitation or proof you are exposed.

EPSS probability

Not available

A model's estimate of exploitation in the next 30 days, not certainty or your own risk.

Related technology

Sources

  1. Primary source

    NVD CVE-2026-118905 (opens a new tab)

    NVD record: description, CVSS (the CNA score is preferred), affected products, and publication date. Not evidence of exploitation.

    Published Checked

  2. Primary source

    NVD CVE API 2.0 (opens a new tab)

    The NVD API page that supplied this CVE record.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

  3. Primary source

    NVD CVE API 2.0 (opens a new tab)

    The NVD API page that supplied this CVE record.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

  4. Primary source

    NVD CVE API 2.0 (opens a new tab)

    The NVD API page that supplied this CVE record.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

  5. Primary source

    NVD CVE API 2.0 (opens a new tab)

    The NVD API page that supplied this CVE record.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

  6. Primary source

    NVD CVE API 2.0 (opens a new tab)

    The NVD API page that supplied this CVE record.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

  7. Primary source

    NVD CVE API 2.0 (opens a new tab)

    The NVD API page that supplied this CVE record.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

Cite this record

For factual claims, cite the primary sources above; cite KEVWire for its compilation, dates, and classifications.

APA

KEVWire. (2026, October 29). Node Version Manager (nvm) is a POSIX-compliant shell function for managing multiple node.js versions. (CVE-2026-118905). https://kevwire.com/record/CVE-2026-118905

MLA

"Node Version Manager (nvm) is a POSIX-compliant shell function for managing multiple node.js versions. (CVE-2026-118905)." KEVWire, 29 Oct. 2026, kevwire.com/record/CVE-2026-118905.

Chicago

KEVWire. "Node Version Manager (nvm) is a POSIX-compliant shell function for managing multiple node.js versions. (CVE-2026-118905)." Last modified October 29, 2026. https://kevwire.com/record/CVE-2026-118905.

Evidence summary (plain text)

Node Version Manager (nvm) is a POSIX-compliant shell function for managing multiple node.js versions. (Oct 29, 2026).
Node Version Manager (nvm) is a POSIX-compliant shell function for managing multiple node.js versions. In versions 0.31.2 through 0.40.5, nvm_ls filters installed versions with a sed program that embeds the requested version pattern in a \#...# address, escaping . (and, since 0.40.4, #) but not backslash. A version string containing # (or \#) therefore closes the address early, and the rest of it is parsed as sed commands: with GNU sed, the e command runs a shell command as the user; with BSD sed, the w and r commands write and read files.
CVSS 7.1 (version 4.0; evidence as of Oct 29, 2026; https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-118905).
Sources:
NVD CVE-2026-118905: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-118905
NVD CVE API 2.0: https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?lastModStartDate=2026-10-29T15:55:57.773Z&lastModEndDate=2026-10-29T17:25:56.777Z&resultsPerPage=500&startIndex=0
NVD CVE API 2.0: https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?lastModStartDate=2026-10-29T15:26:12.549Z&lastModEndDate=2026-10-29T16:55:56.354Z&resultsPerPage=500&startIndex=0
NVD CVE API 2.0: https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?lastModStartDate=2026-10-29T14:55:58.555Z&lastModEndDate=2026-10-29T16:25:57.944Z&resultsPerPage=500&startIndex=0
NVD CVE API 2.0: https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?lastModStartDate=2026-10-29T05:55:56.949Z&lastModEndDate=2026-10-29T07:25:56.572Z&resultsPerPage=500&startIndex=0
NVD CVE API 2.0: https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?lastModStartDate=2026-10-29T05:25:58.299Z&lastModEndDate=2026-10-29T06:55:55.186Z&resultsPerPage=500&startIndex=0
NVD CVE API 2.0: https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?lastModStartDate=2026-10-29T04:25:59.727Z&lastModEndDate=2026-10-29T06:25:55.761Z&resultsPerPage=500&startIndex=0
Record ID: CVE-2026-118905.
Record origin: Ingested record.
AI evidence: Not assessed.
Known exploitation: Not assessed.
Zero-day status: Not assessed. KEV membership alone does not establish zero-day status.
About this data

This record was ingested from a data source. Retrieved: Oct 29, 2026, 17:25 UTC. Ingestion is not an independent editorial investigation.

NVD status: Awaiting Analysis. Publication in the NVD is not evidence of exploitation.

A CISA KEV listing documents known exploitation, not necessarily a zero-day; absence from the catalog does not prove a vulnerability has never been exploited.

Technology tags indicate possible relevance, not verified exposure. Confirm the affected product, version, and configuration against your own inventory; KEVWire does not scan your systems.

A personal reading checklist on this device, not verified remediation.

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