vm2 is an open source vm/sandbox for Node.js. Prior to 3.11.0, vm2's code transformer has a performance optimization that skips AST analysis when the code does not contain catch, import, or async keywords. This fast-path bypass allows sandboxed code to directly access the internal VM2_INTERNAL_STATE_DO_NOT_USE_OR_PROGRAM_WILL_FAIL variable, which exposes internal security functions (handleException, wrapWith, import). This vulnerability is fixed in 3.11.0.

Affected: npm: vm2

### Summary vm2's code transformer has a performance optimization that skips AST analysis when the code does not contain `catch`, `import`, or `async` keywords. This fast-path bypass allows sandboxed code to directly access the internal `VM2_INTERNAL_STATE_DO_NOT_USE_OR_PROGRAM_WILL_FAIL` variable, which exposes internal security functions (`handleException`, `wrapWith`, `import`).

### Details In `lib/transformer.js:55-57`, a regex check `/\b(?:catch|import|async)\b/` determines whether AST transformation is needed. If the code does not contain any of these keywords, the transformer returns the code unmodified.

When the fast-path is taken: 1. **INTERNAL_STATE_NAME identifier check is bypassed**: The AST visitor that blocks access to `VM2_INTERNAL_STATE_DO_NOT_USE_OR_PROGRAM_WILL_FAIL` never runs 2. **`with` statement instrumentation is bypassed**: `with()` statements are not wrapped with `wrapWith()`, enabling scope manipulation 3. The internal state object exposes: `handleException(e)`, `wrapWith(x)`, `import(what)`

While these methods are currently defensive utilities (not direct escape vectors), this represents a complete bypass of a security control. Any future addition of a sensitive method to the internal state object would be immediately exploitable.

### PoC

**Library-level PoC (Node.js script — primary):** ```javascript const { VM } = require("vm2"); const vm = new VM();

// Access internal state (bypassed — no catch/import/async keywords) const result = vm.run(…

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Ein Angreifer kann mehrere Schwachstellen in vm2 ausnutzen, um beliebigen Programmcode auszuführen, um einen Denial of Service Angriff durchzuführen, um Informationen offenzulegen, und um Sicherheitsvorkehrungen zu umgehen.