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CVE Record

CVE-2026-40175: Axios has Unrestricted Cloud Metadata Exfiltration via Header Injection Chain

Axios is a promise based HTTP client for the browser and Node.js. Versions prior to 1.15.0 and 0.3.1 are vulnerable to a specific gadget-style attack chain in which prototype pollution in a third-party dependency may be leveraged to inject unsanitized header values into outbound requests. This vulnerability is fixed in 1.15.0 and 0.3.1.

HighCVSS 8.1Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

A vulnerable Axios version can turn a separate prototype-pollution flaw into manipulated outbound HTTP requests. In cloud-hosted applications, this may expose metadata credentials or alter downstream requests. Exploitation requires a specific multi-stage chain, so risk depends heavily on application architecture and reachable dependencies.

Executive priority

Schedule expedited remediation for cloud-hosted or internet-facing server applications, especially where Axios handles attacker-influenced data. Other deployments should still upgrade promptly, but the chain’s high complexity supports risk-based sequencing rather than assuming universal immediate compromise.

Technical view

CVE-2026-40175 is a gadget-style chain involving attacker-influenced prototype properties and insufficiently sanitized Axios header values. This can enable header injection, request confusion, or server-side requests toward cloud metadata services. The supplied CVSS is 8.1 with high potential confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact, but high attack complexity.

Likely exposure

Prioritize server-side applications using Axios 1.0.0 through 1.14.x or releases below 0.31.0, especially cloud workloads with metadata access and prototype-pollution exposure. Browser-only use may have a different practical risk profile. The bundle contains a conflicting “0.3.1” fix reference; the affected range and release link identify 0.31.0.

Exploitation context

The source bundle does not establish active exploitation, and the CVE is not identified as KEV. Exploitation reportedly depends on a separate prototype-pollution capability plus conditions allowing polluted values to influence Axios request headers. Treat internet-facing, server-side request functionality and cloud metadata reachability as important risk multipliers.

Researcher notes

The reported weakness spans header injection, request smuggling-related behavior, prototype pollution, and SSRF classifications. Validate the complete chain rather than treating Axios presence alone as proof of exploitability. Review both upstream fixes because the references include separate pull requests and commits. The bundle’s “0.3.1” statement appears inconsistent with its affected range and v0.31.0 release reference.

Mitigation direction

  • Upgrade Axios 1.x deployments to version 1.15.0 or later.
  • Upgrade legacy Axios deployments to version 0.31.0 or later.
  • Update direct and transitive dependency locks, then rebuild affected artifacts.
  • Investigate and remediate any reachable prototype-pollution vulnerabilities in the same application.
  • Restrict workload access to cloud metadata services where operationally feasible.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Axios versions in manifests, lockfiles, SBOMs, containers, and deployed bundles.
  • Confirm runtime artifacts resolve Axios 1.15.0, 0.31.0, or later.
  • Identify server-side Axios calls influenced by untrusted objects, headers, or URLs.
  • Review dependencies and input paths for reachable prototype-pollution conditions.
  • Verify cloud workloads cannot unnecessarily reach metadata endpoints.
  • Run regression tests covering outbound header construction after upgrading.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
9

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.

ATT&CK lookup starting points

Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.

cwe · low confidence lookup

CWE-113: Exact CWE lookup

Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.

Open ATT&CK lookup
cwe · low confidence lookup

CWE-444: Exact CWE lookup

Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.

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cwe · low confidence lookup

CWE-915: Exact CWE lookup

Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.

Open ATT&CK lookup
cwe · medium confidence lookup

CWE-918: Information exposure and cloud metadata lookup

Information exposure and SSRF weaknesses can make discovery, cloud metadata, and credential material review relevant. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.

Open ATT&CK lookup
description · low confidence lookup

Cloud metadata behavior lookup

The CVE wording references SSRF or metadata access, so cloud discovery and credential material review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.

Open ATT&CK lookup
cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2026-40175 mapping review

Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
High
CVSS
8.1 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

2CVSS vectors
5Timeline events
4ADP providers
49Source links

SSVC decision data

CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: pocAutomatable: noTechnical Impact: total

CVSS vector scores

2 official scores

We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
8.1CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H2.25.9redhat-SADP
4.8CVSS 3.1MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N2.22.5GitHub_M

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

8.1High
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2026-40175Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. ADP timelineredhat-SADP

    Made public.

  3. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  4. ADP timelineredhat-SADP

    Reported to Red Hat.

  5. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CVECVE Program Container
CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
other:ssvc
siemens-SADPADP container
redhat-SADPaxios: Axios: Remote Code Execution via Prototype Pollution escalation
other:Red Hat severity ratingcvssV3_1
  • 2026-04-10T20:02:10.296Z: Reported to Red Hat.
  • 2026-04-10T19:23:52.285Z: Made public.

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
axiosaxios>= 1.0.0, < 1.15.0, < 0.31.0Listed
Weakness

CWE details

CWE-113CWE-444CWE-915CWE-918

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.