# CVE-2026-121745: nvm exposes NVM_AUTH_HEADER to other local users on the curl/wget command line

Status: published. Published: 2026-11-04. Updated: 2026-11-04.

Node Version Manager (nvm) is a POSIX-compliant shell function for managing multiple node.js versions. In versions 0.40.0 through 0.40.8, when `NVM_AUTH_HEADER` is set, `nvm_download` passes the credential to curl or wget as a `--header "Authorization: ..."` command-line argument. Process arguments are visible to every local user (on Linux via `ps` or `/proc//cmdline` unless `/proc` is mounted with `hidepid=`; on macOS via `ps`), so another unprivileged account on the same machine can read the token while nvm is downloading during `nvm ls-remote`, `nvm install`, and similar commands, and gain whatever access it grants on the private mirror. Only users who set `NVM_AUTH_HEADER` on a host shared with other local accounts are affected. Version 0.41.0 passes the header to curl on stdin and to GNU Wget in a private temporary config file. BusyBox wget reads no config file, so when it is the only downloader available the header is still passed as an argument.

## Remediation

- fix: Upgrade to nvm 0.41.0 or later, and on a machine shared with other local users make sure curl or GNU Wget is installed (BusyBox wget still receives the header as an argument). (source: CNA: harborist)
- workaround: Until upgrading, do not set `NVM_AUTH_HEADER` on machines shared with other local users, or mount `/proc` with `hidepid=2` on Linux. (source: CNA: harborist)
- fix: The reporting source identifies this reference as a patch. Check the advisory for affected versions and supported release branches. (source: CNA: harborist) — https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm/commit/903e3493699399d049f3af445c2d81688b6a7f5c

## Affected products and versions

- nvm-sh / nvm: ≥ 0.40.0; < 0.41.0 (affected, semver). Source: CNA: harborist

## Severity and prioritization

- CVSS 4.0: 2 (low); CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N; source: CNA: harborist

- CVSS 3.1: 2.5 (low); CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N; source: CNA: harborist

- CVSS 4.0: 2 (low); CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/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; source: NVD: 7ffcee3d-2c14-4c3e-b844-86c6a321a158

- CVSS 3.1: 2.5 (low); CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N; source: NVD: 7ffcee3d-2c14-4c3e-b844-86c6a321a158

- CISA KEV: No listing in collected sources

- EPSS: Not available

- SSVC: Not available

- Weaknesses: CWE-214

## Exploit evidence

No exploit evidence in collected sources. This is not proof of no exploitation.

## References

- https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm/security/advisories/GHSA-h3c2-g6gc-6cgx (CNA: harborist; vendor-advisory)

- https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm/commit/903e3493699399d049f3af445c2d81688b6a7f5c (CNA: harborist; patch)

- https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm/commit/903e3493699399d049f3af445c2d81688b6a7f5c (7ffcee3d-2c14-4c3e-b844-86c6a321a158)

- https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm/security/advisories/GHSA-h3c2-g6gc-6cgx (7ffcee3d-2c14-4c3e-b844-86c6a321a158)

## Provenance

- CNA: harborist: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-121745; retrieved 2026-11-04; source updated 2026-11-04

- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-121745; retrieved 2026-11-05; source updated 2026-11-04

Revision: 3e098d0ba9bd0bcdba0ddbf9597ecb13dd82e3bf3e4636970c4268ae001a2a72

Canonical: https://y2.dev/cve/CVE-2026-121745

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