Deno: process.loadEnvFile() bypasses env permission checks and mutates process.env with only read access
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Security bypass
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- Low · Low · None
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and GitHub. Impact type from CWE-863.
Summary
Deno is a JavaScript, TypeScript, and WebAssembly runtime. Prior to 2.8.1, environment access is gated by the env permission. You can deny it with --deny-env, or restrict it to a specific allowlist with --allow-env=FOO,BAR. The expectation is that a program running without env permission cannot change process.env. process.loadEnvFile() (the Node-compatible API for loading variables from a .env file) does not honor this. It only checks that the program has read permission for the dotenv file, then writes every key in that file into the process environment — even when env access is denied. In effect, --allow-read plus a writable or attacker-controlled .env file is enough to defeat --deny-env. This vulnerability is fixed in 2.8.1.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| denoland | deno | before 2.8.1 | 2.8.1 | Patch available | CNA |
| — | deno (crates.io) | before 2.8.1 | 2.8.1 | Patch available | GHSA-4c8g-jvcx-v4hv |
- deno Vendordenoland Affected before 2.8.1 Fixed in 2.8.1 Patch available CNA
- deno (crates.io) Vendor— Affected before 2.8.1 Fixed in 2.8.1 Patch available GHSA-4c8g-jvcx-v4hv
Remediation
- Fix · CNA deno (denoland) Fixed in 2.8.1
- Fix · GHSA-4c8g-jvcx-v4hv deno (crates.io) Fixed in 2.8.1 Advisory →
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-49983
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-4c8g-jvcx-v4hv
References
More denoland Deno vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-21627 Deno has a Command Injection via Incomplete shell metacharacter blocklist in node:child_process CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2025-17782 Deno's AES GCM authentication tags are not verified CVSS 4.0HIGH 7.7
- TI-2024-18537 *const c_void / ExternalPointer unsoundness leading to use-after-free CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2024-18536 Deno arbitrary file descriptor close via `op_node_ipc_pipe()` leading to permission prompt bypass CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2023-12990 Deno is vulnerable to interactive `run` permission prompt spoofing via improper ANSI neutralization CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2023-11328 Regular expression denial of service in deno CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
Sources
- CVE-2026-49983 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-49983 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-4c8g-jvcx-v4hv · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
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