CVE-2026-67316 in axios
Summary
by MITRE • 08/01/2026
axios is vulnerable to read-side prototype-pollution gadgets that can alter request construction when Object.prototype has already been polluted by a separate vulnerability or dependency. In the bodyless method aliases (axios.get(), axios.delete(), axios.head(), axios.options()), inherited data is read via (config || {}).data before config normalization, causing an attacker-controlled body to be sent on requests that did not set one. Additional low-level paths, only reachable when calling exported adapters/helpers (e.g. lib/adapters/http.js, unsafe/helpers/resolveConfig.js) directly with plain configs and no own proxy or paramsSerializer, can inherit polluted proxy values (routing requests through an attacker-controlled proxy) or paramsSerializer values (attacker-controlled URL serialization). These low-level gadgets do not reproduce through normal high-level axios calls on 1.15.2+. The issue is fixed in axios 1.18.0 and 0.33.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/01/2026
Prototype pollution vulnerabilities in axios represent a sophisticated class of security flaws that exploit the JavaScript prototype chain to manipulate object behavior during request construction. This particular vulnerability leverages the read-side prototype pollution gadgets that occur when Object.prototype has already been polluted by external dependencies or separate security issues within the application environment. The flaw manifests specifically in bodyless method aliases including axios.get(), axios.delete(), axios.head(), and axios.options() where inherited data is accessed through the expression (config || {}).data before configuration normalization occurs. This timing issue allows attackers to control request bodies on HTTP methods that typically should not include payloads, effectively bypassing normal request validation mechanisms.
The technical exploitation occurs because these high-level API calls do not properly isolate configuration objects from prototype pollution effects that may have occurred elsewhere in the application stack. When Object.prototype has been manipulated by previous vulnerabilities or malicious dependencies, the read-side gadgets in axios can inherit polluted properties and inject attacker-controlled data into HTTP requests even when such data should be absent. This creates a dangerous situation where legitimate application logic becomes corrupted through indirect manipulation of prototype properties that are subsequently read during request processing. The vulnerability affects the core request construction pipeline where inherited properties from polluted prototypes are not properly sanitized before being used to build HTTP requests.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data corruption to potentially enable various attack vectors including unauthorized access, data exfiltration, and privilege escalation depending on the target application's authentication and authorization mechanisms. When combined with other prototype pollution vulnerabilities in the application stack, attackers can achieve persistent manipulation of request parameters that may be used for bypassing security controls or modifying request routing behavior. The low-level paths that remain exploitable through direct calls to exported adapters and helpers such as lib/adapters/http.js and unsafe/helpers/resolveConfig.js provide additional attack surface where polluted proxy values can route requests through attacker-controlled infrastructure, while polluted paramsSerializer values enable complete control over URL parameter serialization.
Security mitigations should focus on comprehensive prototype pollution prevention mechanisms that include proper object isolation during configuration processing, validation of inherited properties before request construction, and thorough sanitization of user-supplied data that may influence prototype behavior. The fix implemented in axios versions 1.18.0 and 0.33.0 addresses this issue by ensuring proper configuration normalization and preventing read-side prototype pollution effects from propagating into HTTP request construction. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-471 which describes the exposure of information through manipulation of object prototypes, and represents a specific implementation of ATT&CK technique T1566 related to credential access through exploitation of application vulnerabilities. Organizations should implement robust dependency management practices and conduct regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar prototype pollution vulnerabilities across their software supply chain.