CVE-2026-15921nvm path traversal via a malicious mirror's LTS codename writes outside the alias directory

Node Version Manager (nvm) is a POSIX-compliant shell function for managing multiple node.js versions. In versions 0.32.1 through 0.40.5, `nvm ls-remote` (and other commands that refresh remote LTS aliases, such as `nvm install --lts`) parse the node.js mirror's `index.tab` and use each release's LTS codename field as an alias filename without validating it. A malicious, compromised, or man-in-the-middled mirror can return an LTS codename containing path-traversal sequences such as `../../../.bashrc`, causing nvm to write the associated version string to a path outside `$NVM_DIR/alias`. With the default layout (`$NVM_DIR` is `~/.nvm`), this can create or overwrite files in the user's home directory, including shell startup files, which can lead to code execution in a later shell session. Exploitation requires the victim to use a hostile mirror -- via a compromised mirror or CDN, a network man-in-the-middle, or a maliciously configured `NVM_NODEJS_ORG_MIRROR`/`NVM_IOJS_ORG_MIRROR` -- and to run an affected command. Version 0.40.6 validates remote LTS codenames as safe alias filenames and rejects `..` path components when writing alias files.

CVSS

3.1 LOW (v3.1, CNA)CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N

Weakness (CWE)

CWE-22, CWE-73

Known exploited

Not in CISA's KEV catalog

EPSS (exploitation in the next 30 days)

Not loaded for this CVE

Assigned by

harborist

NVD analysis

Awaiting Analysis

Record last updated

Jul 16, 2026

First seen by InfoSec Signals

Oct 9, 2026

The CVE record on cve.org · NVD's entry

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