LiveActive security incident?Get immediate response
CVE Record

CVE-2026-42039: Axios: unbounded recursion in toFormData causes DoS via deeply nested request data

Axios is a promise based HTTP client for the browser and Node.js. Prior to 1.15.1 and 0.31.1, toFormData recursively walks nested objects with no depth limit, so a deeply nested value passed as request data crashes the Node.js process with a RangeError. This vulnerability is fixed in 1.15.1 and 0.31.1.

HighCVSS 7.5Not KEV-listedUpdated
Discuss exposureBack to CVEs
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

Axios can be crashed when it processes extremely deeply nested request data in Node.js. The failure is a denial of service: availability is affected, but the sources do not indicate data theft or code execution.

Executive priority

Treat as a high-priority availability risk for Node.js services using axios with user-influenced request data. Prioritize internet-facing or high-traffic services first.

Technical view

Before axios 1.15.1 and 0.31.1, toFormData recursively walks nested objects without a depth limit. Deeply nested request data can trigger a RangeError and crash the Node.js process. CVSS 3.1 is 7.5, with network attack vector and high availability impact.

Likely exposure

Applications are exposed if they use vulnerable axios versions and pass attacker-influenced, deeply nested objects as request data that reaches toFormData. Browser-only or non-attacker-controlled uses may have lower practical exposure.

Exploitation context

The source bundle marks KEV as false and provides no cited evidence of active exploitation. The CVSS vector indicates unauthenticated network exploitation may be possible where vulnerable data handling is reachable.

Researcher notes

The key condition is reachability of toFormData with deeply nested attacker-controlled data. Sources identify CWE-674 and CWE-770. Evidence does not support claims of confidentiality, integrity impact, RCE, or active exploitation.

Mitigation direction

  • Upgrade axios to 1.15.1, 0.31.1, or later patched versions.
  • Check lockfiles and transitive dependencies for vulnerable axios resolutions.
  • Apply dependency overrides or package manager resolutions where direct upgrades are blocked.
  • Limit nesting depth for untrusted input before it reaches axios request data.
  • For Red Hat-packaged software, follow the listed Red Hat advisories.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory SBOMs, lockfiles, and deployed artifacts for axios versions.
  • Confirm production resolves axios outside the vulnerable version ranges.
  • Trace request paths where untrusted data becomes axios request data.
  • Review error logs for RangeError crashes around request serialization.
  • Verify scanners map findings to CVE-2026-42039 and the patched versions.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
10

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-674: 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-770: 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
cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2026-42039 mapping review

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

Open ATT&CK lookup
Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
High
CVSS
7.5 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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
2ADP providers
42Source links

SSVC decision data

CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: pocAutomatable: yesTechnical Impact: partial

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
7.5CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H3.93.6redhat-SADP
6.9CVSS 4.0MediumCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N——GitHub_M

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 4.0 score

6.9Medium
CVSS 4.0 vector shape for CVE-2026-42039Attack VectorAttack ComplexityAttack RequirementsPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionVS ConfidentialityVS IntegrityVS AvailabilitySS ConfidentialitySS IntegritySS Availability

Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Attack Requirements
NonePresent
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NonePassiveActive
VS Confidentiality
HighLowNone
VS Integrity
HighLowNone
VS Availability
HighLowNone
SS Confidentiality
HighLowNone
SS Integrity
HighLowNone
SS Availability
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: Node.js: Axios: Denial of Service via unbounded recursion in toFormData with deeply nested request data
other:Red Hat severity ratingcvssV3_1
  • 2026-04-24T19:01:44.887Z: Reported to Red Hat.
  • 2026-04-24T18:01:30.775Z: 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-674CWE-770

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

CWE-674 · source CWE mapping

Uncontrolled Recursion

Uncontrolled Recursion represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.

Open CWE intelligenceSame-CWE CVEs
CWE-770 · source CWE mapping

Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling

Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.

Open CWE intelligenceSame-CWE CVEs