CVE-2026-54566
Markdown Preview Enhanced: Remote Code Execution via VM Sandbox Escape in `.crossnote/config.js` and `.crossnote/parser.js`
Markdown Preview Enhanced is a Markdown preview extension for Visual Studio Code. Prior to 0.8.29, Markdown Preview Enhanced evaluates repository-controlled .crossnote/config.js and .crossnote/parser.js files with vm.runInNewContext, which does not provide a security boundary from the Node.js host realm. Opening a Markdown file in a malicious repository automatically loads these files, and prototype-chain traversal can reach the host Function constructor and process object, allowing operating-system commands to execute as the victim account without further interaction. Both configuration evaluation and parser-hook evaluation are affected, and the attack does not depend on module-scoped require being available. This issue is fixed in version 0.8.29.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- Passive
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
8.5
Markdown Preview Enhanced: Remote Code Execution via VM Sandbox Escape in `.crossnote/config.js` and `.crossnote/parser.js`
Markdown Preview Enhanced is a Markdown preview extension for Visual Studio Code. Prior to 0.8.29, Markdown Preview Enhanced evaluates repository-controlled .crossnote/config.js and .crossnote/parser.js files with vm.runInNewContext, which does not provide a security boundary from the Node.js host realm. Opening a Markdown file in a malicious repository automatically loads these files, and prototype-chain traversal can reach the host Function constructor and process object, allowing operating-system commands to execute as the victim account without further interaction. Both configuration evaluation and parser-hook evaluation are affected, and the attack does not depend on module-scoped require being available. This issue is fixed in version 0.8.29.
- Record
CVE-2026-54566- CVSS 4.0
- 8.5 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Weakness
- CWE-94
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-101582
8.5
Markdown Preview Enhanced is a Markdown preview extension for Visual Studio Code. Prior to 0.8.29, Markdown Preview Enhanced evaluates repository-controlled .crossnote/config.js and .crossnote/parser.js files with vm.runInNewContext, which does not provide a security boundary from the Node.js host realm. Opening a Markdown file in a malicious repository automatically loads these files, and prototype-chain traversal can reach the host Function constructor and process object, allowing operating-system commands to execute as the victim account without further interaction. Both configuration evaluation and parser-hook evaluation are affected, and the attack does not depend on module-scoped require being available. This issue is fixed in version 0.8.29.
- Record
EUVD-2026-101582- CVSS 4.0
- 8.5 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
8.5
Markdown Preview Enhanced is a Markdown preview extension for Visual Studio Code. Prior to 0.8.29, Markdown Preview Enhanced evaluates repository-controlled .crossnote/config.js and .crossnote/parser.js files with vm.runInNewContext, which does not provide a security boundary from the Node.js host realm. Opening a Markdown file in a malicious repository automatically loads these files, and prototype-chain traversal can reach the host Function constructor and process object, allowing operating-system commands to execute as the victim account without further interaction. Both configuration evaluation and parser-hook evaluation are affected, and the attack does not depend on module-scoped require being available. This issue is fixed in version 0.8.29.
- Record
CVE-2026-54566- CVSS 4.0
- 8.5 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/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 - Weakness
- CWE-94
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
8.5
Markdown Preview Enhanced: Remote Code Execution via VM Sandbox Escape in `.crossnote/config.js` and `.crossnote/parser.js`
Markdown Preview Enhanced is a Markdown preview extension for Visual Studio Code. Prior to 0.8.29, Markdown Preview Enhanced evaluates repository-controlled .crossnote/config.js and .crossnote/parser.js files with vm.runInNewContext, which does not provide a security boundary from the Node.js host realm. Opening a Markdown file in a malicious repository automatically loads these files, and prototype-chain traversal can reach the host Function constructor and process object, allowing operating-system commands to execute as the victim account without further interaction. Both configuration evaluation and parser-hook evaluation are affected, and the attack does not depend on module-scoped require being available. This issue is fixed in version 0.8.29.
- Record
CVE-2026-54566- CVSS 4.0
- 8.5 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Weakness
- CWE-94
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2026-54566 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.5) in Shd101wyy Vscode-markdown-preview-enhanced, published October 14, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.30%, the 22nd percentile. No source names a fixed version.
References
github.com/shd101wyy/vscode-markdown-preview-enhanced/security/advisories/GHSA-427h-jhpr-8jch
github.com/shd101wyy/crossnote/pull/443
github.com/shd101wyy/vscode-markdown-preview-enhanced/pull/2320
github.com/shd101wyy/crossnote/commit/e4890d64502e53b717cce0cb73f1a78b244dc640
github.com/shd101wyy/vscode-markdown-preview-enhanced/commit/0d4010988c6ae56a38c6dec4a7509cbd5a7dcb4c
github.com/shd101wyy/crossnote/releases/tag/0.9.30
github.com/shd101wyy/vscode-markdown-preview-enhanced/releases/tag/0.8.29
github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2026/54xxx/CVE-2026-54566.json
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-54566