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CVE Record

CVE-2026-42033: Axios: Prototype Pollution Gadgets - Response Tampering, Data Exfiltration, and Request Hijacking

Axios is a promise based HTTP client for the browser and Node.js. Prior to 1.15.1 and 0.31.1, when Object.prototype has been polluted by any co-dependency with keys that axios reads without a hasOwnProperty guard, an attacker can (a) silently intercept and modify every JSON response before the application sees it, or (b) fully hijack the underlying HTTP transport, gaining access to request credentials, headers, and body. The precondition is prototype pollution from a separate source in the same process. This vulnerability is fixed in 1.15.1 and 0.31.1.

HighCVSS 7.4Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

Axios can become dangerous if another bug in the same application has already polluted JavaScript Object.prototype. In that situation, vulnerable Axios versions may let responses be silently changed or the HTTP transport hijacked, exposing headers, credentials, and request bodies. Fixed Axios releases are 1.15.1 and 0.31.1.

Executive priority

Treat as high priority for internet-facing services or systems handling credentials through Axios. The issue is conditional, but compromise could expose sensitive requests or corrupt trusted API responses.

Technical view

This is a prototype pollution gadget in Axios. Before 1.15.1 and 0.31.1, Axios reads certain inherited object properties without hasOwnProperty-style guarding. If Object.prototype is polluted by a separate dependency, those inherited keys can influence response handling or transport behavior, affecting confidentiality and integrity.

Likely exposure

Exposure is likely in browser or Node.js applications using Axios >=1.0.0 and <1.15.1, or <0.31.1, where another reachable dependency can pollute Object.prototype in the same process.

Exploitation context

The source bundle does not show active exploitation, and KEV is false. Exploitation requires a separate prototype pollution path first, reflected by high attack complexity, but no privileges or user interaction are required once conditions exist.

Researcher notes

Focus validation on the precondition: a reachable prototype pollution primitive in the same JavaScript process. Do not assume standalone exploitability from Axios alone. The bundle provides fixed versions and Red Hat downstream references, but not active exploitation evidence.

Mitigation direction

  • Upgrade Axios to 1.15.1, 0.31.1, or later vendor-supported fixed packages.
  • Identify and remediate any separate prototype pollution sources in the same application process.
  • Review Red Hat errata if Axios is supplied through Red Hat products or images.
  • Monitor the GitHub advisory and vendor guidance for downstream package status.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory direct and transitive Axios versions in application lockfiles and container images.
  • Confirm no deployed package resolves to Axios >=1.0.0 and <1.15.1 or <0.31.1.
  • Search dependency advisories for prototype pollution issues in packages sharing the same runtime.
  • For Red Hat environments, map installed packages to listed RHSA advisories and VEX data.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
12

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-1321: 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.

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cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2026-42033 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
7.4 (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:N

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
2ADP providers
42Source 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
7.4CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N2.25.2GitHub_M
7.4CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N2.25.2redhat-SADP

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

7.4High
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2026-42033Attack 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:N

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

CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
other:ssvc
redhat-SADPaxios: Axios: HTTP Transport Hijacking via Prototype Pollution
other:Red Hat severity ratingcvssV3_1
  • 2026-04-24T18:01:20.937Z: Reported to Red Hat.
  • 2026-04-24T17:36:44.132Z: Made public.

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
axiosaxios>= 1.0.0, < 1.15.1, < 0.31.1Listed
Weakness

CWE details

CWE-1321CWE-915

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

CWE-1321 · source CWE mapping

Improperly Controlled Modification of Object Prototype Attributes ('Prototype Pollution')

Improperly Controlled Modification of Object Prototype Attributes ('Prototype Pollution') 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