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CVE-2026-42033: CVE-2026-42033: Prototype Pollution Gadget Chain in Axios HTTP Client

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CVE-2026-42033: Prototype Pollution Gadget Chain in Axios HTTP Client

Vulnerability ID: CVE-2026-42033
CVSS Score: 7.4
Published: 2026-05-05

Axios insecurely reads multiple configuration properties from the global Object.prototype, acting as an exploitation gadget for prototype pollution vulnerabilities. An attacker who pollutes Object.prototype elsewhere in the application can leverage Axios to intercept responses, hijack outgoing requests, and exfiltrate sensitive HTTP data.

TL;DR

A high-severity flaw in Axios allows attackers to hijack HTTP requests and responses by leveraging prototype pollution gadgets, leading to credential theft and response spoofing.

⚠️ Exploit Status: POC

Technical Details

  • CWE ID: CWE-1321
  • CVSS Score: 7.4
  • Attack Vector: Network
  • Impact: Confidentiality, Integrity (Request Hijacking, Data Tampering)
  • EPSS Score: 0.00103
  • CISA KEV: Not Listed
  • Exploit Status: Proof-of-Concept

Affected Systems

  • Applications utilizing Axios for HTTP communication
  • Node.js server-side environments
  • Client-side browser applications incorporating Axios
  • axios: < 0.31.1 (Fixed in: 0.31.1)
  • axios: >= 1.0.0, < 1.15.1 (Fixed in: 1.15.1)

Mitigation Strategies

  • Upgrade Axios dependency to versions >= 1.15.1 or >= 0.31.1.
  • Invoke Object.freeze(Object.prototype) at application startup to prevent global prototype pollution.
  • Utilize Object.create(null) for internally managed configuration objects to eliminate prototype inheritance.
  • Run Node.js with the --disable-proto=delete flag to mitigate proto specific vector pollution.
  • Audit dependency tree for primary prototype pollution vulnerabilities.

Remediation Steps:

  1. Identify all projects utilizing the Axios HTTP client via dependency manifests (package.json).
  2. Update the Axios package to version 1.15.1 or 0.31.1 using npm, yarn, or pnpm.
  3. Execute automated test suites to ensure the updated Axios version does not introduce regressions in network logic.
  4. Deploy the updated application to staging and production environments.
  5. Implement dependency scanning mechanisms to alert on future vulnerable dependencies.

References

Read the full report for CVE-2026-42033 on our website for more details including interactive diagrams and full exploit analysis.

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