RCE in Shepherdwind Velocity.js

CVE-2026-73649

Velocity.js is a JavaScript implementation of the Apache Velocity template engine. Prior to 2.1.7, the earlier fix for CVE-2026-44966 filtered constructor, __proto__, and prototype only in the #set assignment handler in src/compile/set.ts, while property-read expressions in src/compile/references.ts remained unfiltered. The getReferences() flow called getAttributes(), whose property access allowed an attacker-controlled template to traverse constructor.constructor to the JavaScript Function constructor. The #set handler validated only the assignment target and did not inspect the right-hand property-read expression, allowing arbitrary shell commands, environment-variable access, cloud-credential access, and internal-network access in the server process. This issue is fixed in version 2.1.7.

Vulnerability class: RCE (Remote Code Execution)

CVSS v3 metric

CVSS v3 base score 9.8 (Critical). Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.

Affected products

Weakness classification (CWE)

References

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-73649?
CVE-2026-73649 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Shepherdwind Velocity.js, classified under Code Injection. CVSS score: 9.8/10. Published 2026-08-13.
How severe is CVE-2026-73649?
Critical severity. CVSS v3 base score is 9.8 out of 10.