Summary
Unauthenticated Nuxt DevTools RPC allows arbitrary command execution on the developer's host
Workarounds
- Update
@nuxt/devtoolsto a patched version. - Do not run the dev server bound to a non-loopback interface (
nuxi dev --host) on an untrusted network. - Disable DevTools entirely with
devtools: { enabled: false }innuxt.config.
References
- GHSA-279x-mwfv-vcqv
launch-editor: https://www.npmjs.com/package/launch-editor
Impact
Nuxt DevTools (development mode only) exposes a bidirectional RPC channel over the Vite HMR WebSocket via the nuxt:devtools:rpc plugin. On affected versions the channel has no authentication: any client that can reach the Vite HMR endpoint (ws://<host>:<port>/, subprotocol vite-hmr) can call RPC methods, with no token, handshake, or origin check before the channel is established. The updateOptions(), clearOptions(), and openInEditor() methods do not enforce the ensureDevAuthToken check that the other mutating methods use.
openInEditor() reads the persisted behavior.openInEditor value and passes it to the launch-editor package, which spawns it as a child process. That value is settable through the equally unauthenticated updateOptions(). An attacker who can reach the HMR port can therefore chain updateOptions('behavior', { openInEditor: '<command>' }) then openInEditor('<any-existing-file>') to execute an arbitrary program on the developer's machine.
The HMR port is reachable by a process on the same host, by any peer on the LAN when the dev server is bound with nuxi dev --host, or by a malicious website the developer visits while the dev server is running (a browser can open the HMR WebSocket cross-origin). Impact is limited to development environments; production builds do not run DevTools.
Untrusted input is evaluated as executable code within the application's runtime environment. Typical impact: arbitrary code execution within the application's privilege context.
CVE-2026-71319 has a CVSS score of 9.6 (Critical). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and user interaction required. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (3.3.1); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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Fixed in @nuxt/[email protected]. Because nuxt depends on @nuxt/devtools through a ^3.x range, updating is a lockfile refresh / reinstall; no nuxt release is required.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-71319? CVE-2026-71319 is a critical-severity code injection vulnerability in @nuxt/devtools (npm), affecting versions < 3.3.1. It is fixed in 3.3.1. Untrusted input is evaluated as executable code within the application's runtime environment.
- How severe is CVE-2026-71319? CVE-2026-71319 has a CVSS score of 9.6 (Critical). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of @nuxt/devtools are affected by CVE-2026-71319? @nuxt/devtools (npm) versions < 3.3.1 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-71319? Yes. CVE-2026-71319 is fixed in 3.3.1. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-71319 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-71319 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2026-71319 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2026-71319? Upgrade
@nuxt/devtoolsto 3.3.1 or later.