CVE-2026-121748
nvm use --delete-prefix lets a project .npmrc choose which file npm rewrites or makes world-writable
Description
Node Version Manager (nvm) is a POSIX-compliant shell function for managing multiple node.js versions. In versions 0.27.0 through 0.40.8, when a project's `.npmrc` sets `prefix`, `nvm use` tells the user to run `nvm use --delete-prefix`, which runs `npm config delete prefix` and `npm config delete globalconfig` in the current directory without naming a config file. npm loads the project `.npmrc` before deciding which file to edit, so that file chooses the target: `userconfig=~/.bashrc` makes npm rewrite `~/.bashrc` as ini (corrupting it), and `location=global` with `globalconfig=` leaves the chosen file at mode 0666, which on a shared machine lets another local user write to it. The attacker (the author of a cloned repository or archive, or a local user who can write a shared parent directory) chooses the file but not the bytes written, and no project code runs. Version 0.41.0 no longer lets a project `.npmrc` select which config file `--delete-prefix` edits.
INFO
Published Date :
Nov. 4, 2026, 10:17 p.m.
Last Modified :
Nov. 4, 2026, 10:17 p.m.
Remotely Exploit :
No
Source :
7ffcee3d-2c14-4c3e-b844-86c6a321a158
CVSS Scores
| Score | Version | Severity | Vector | Exploitability Score | Impact Score | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | LOW | 7ffcee3d-2c14-4c3e-b844-86c6a321a158 | ||||
| CVSS 4.0 | LOW | 7ffcee3d-2c14-4c3e-b844-86c6a321a158 | ||||
| CVSS 4.0 | LOW | 7ffcee3d-2c14-4c3e-b844-86c6a321a158 |
Solution
- Update Node Version Manager (NVM) to version 0.41.0 or later.
- Review and secure npm configuration files.
- Avoid using the --delete-prefix flag if possible.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
Here, you will find a curated list of external links that provide in-depth
information, practical solutions, and valuable tools related to
CVE-2026-121748.
| URL | Resource |
|---|---|
| https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm/commit/4049296ca8eef2067517d8cfd5ef5c0e615daa10 | |
| https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm/security/advisories/GHSA-ccgf-7gv4-xg5h |
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-121748 is
associated with the following CWEs:
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification
(CAPEC)
stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and
approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2026-121748
weaknesses.
We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).
Results are limited to the first 15 repositories due to potential performance issues.
The following list is the news that have been mention
CVE-2026-121748 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2026-121748 vulnerability over time.
Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.
-
New CVE Received by 7ffcee3d-2c14-4c3e-b844-86c6a321a158
Nov. 04, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Description Node Version Manager (nvm) is a POSIX-compliant shell function for managing multiple node.js versions. In versions 0.27.0 through 0.40.8, when a project's `.npmrc` sets `prefix`, `nvm use` tells the user to run `nvm use --delete-prefix`, which runs `npm config delete prefix` and `npm config delete globalconfig` in the current directory without naming a config file. npm loads the project `.npmrc` before deciding which file to edit, so that file chooses the target: `userconfig=~/.bashrc` makes npm rewrite `~/.bashrc` as ini (corrupting it), and `location=global` with `globalconfig=` leaves the chosen file at mode 0666, which on a shared machine lets another local user write to it. The attacker (the author of a cloned repository or archive, or a local user who can write a shared parent directory) chooses the file but not the bytes written, and no project code runs. Version 0.41.0 no longer lets a project `.npmrc` select which config file `--delete-prefix` edits. Added CVSS V4.0 AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:A/VC:N/VI:L/VA:L/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 Added CVSS V3.1 AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L Added CWE CWE-73 Added Affected New affected value received. <a href="https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/blob/main/cves/2026/121xxx/CVE-2026-121748.json">CVE-2026-121748</a> Added Reference https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm/commit/4049296ca8eef2067517d8cfd5ef5c0e615daa10 Added Reference https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm/security/advisories/GHSA-ccgf-7gv4-xg5h