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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.

CriticalCVSS 9Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysiscritical

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

Axios, a widely used JavaScript HTTP client, has a critical flaw where another dependency’s prototype pollution could influence Axios headers on outbound requests. In cloud environments, that may expose sensitive metadata or credentials. The attack chain is complex, but impact can be severe where vulnerable Axios versions run in server-side applications.

Executive priority

Treat as high-priority for cloud-hosted Node.js services. Prioritize internet-facing or multi-tenant applications, systems with cloud credentials, and products that bundle Axios. No active exploitation is cited, but the potential credential exposure justifies prompt validation and patch planning.

Technical view

CVE-2026-40175 is a gadget-style chain involving prototype pollution leading to unsanitized header injection in Axios outbound requests. The CVSS 3.1 score is 9.0 with high attack complexity and scope change. Listed weaknesses include header injection, SSRF, prototype modification, and HTTP interpretation issues.

Likely exposure

Server-side Node.js applications using Axios before 1.15.0, and legacy 0.x versions per the advisory data, are the primary concern. Browser-only use is less directly tied to cloud metadata exposure. Downstream products may also bundle Axios.

Exploitation context

The source bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or cited active exploitation. Exploitation appears to require a chain, including prototype pollution in a third-party dependency and server-side outbound requests that can reach sensitive internal endpoints.

Researcher notes

There is a source inconsistency: the description says fixed in 0.3.1, while affected data and references point to v0.31.0. Do not assume exploitability from Axios alone; validate the required prototype pollution precondition and whether outbound requests can access sensitive metadata endpoints.

Mitigation direction

  • Upgrade Axios 1.x deployments to 1.15.0 or later.
  • For Axios 0.x, follow the GitHub advisory due legacy version inconsistency.
  • Check vendor advisories for bundled Axios in downstream products.
  • Review applications for prototype pollution exposure in related dependencies.
  • Restrict server egress to cloud metadata and internal services where feasible.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory package-lock, yarn.lock, pnpm-lock, and SBOMs for Axios versions.
  • Identify server-side applications using Axios for outbound HTTP requests.
  • Check whether applications run in cloud or container environments with metadata access.
  • Confirm upgraded builds actually deploy the fixed Axios version.
  • Review Red Hat, Siemens, and other vendor advisories for packaged exposure.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
8

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
Critical
CVSS
9 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/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
44Source 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
9CVSS 3.1CriticalCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H2.26redhat-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

9Critical
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:C/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.

CWE-113 · source CWE mapping

Improper Neutralization of CRLF Sequences in HTTP Headers ('HTTP Request/Response Splitting')

Improper Neutralization of CRLF Sequences in HTTP Headers ('HTTP Request/Response Splitting') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.

Open CWE intelligenceSame-CWE CVEs
CWE-444 · source CWE mapping

Inconsistent Interpretation of HTTP Requests ('HTTP Request/Response Smuggling')

Inconsistent Interpretation of HTTP Requests ('HTTP Request/Response Smuggling') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.

Open CWE intelligenceSame-CWE CVEs
CWE-915 · source CWE mapping

Improperly Controlled Modification of Dynamically-Determined Object Attributes

Improperly Controlled Modification of Dynamically-Determined Object Attributes represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.

Open CWE intelligenceSame-CWE CVEs
CWE-918 · source CWE mapping

Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF)

Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.

Open CWE intelligenceSame-CWE CVEs