Vulnerability Description
Axios is a promise based HTTP client for the browser and Node.js. Prior to 1.15.1 and 0.31.1, the Axios library is vulnerable to a Prototype Pollution "Gadget" attack that allows any Object.prototype pollution to silently suppress all HTTP error responses (401, 403, 500, etc.), causing them to be treated as successful responses. This completely bypasses application-level authentication and error handling. The root cause is that validateStatus is the only config property using the mergeDirectKeys merge strategy, which uses JavaScript's in operator — an operator that inherently traverses the prototype chain. When Object.prototype.validateStatus is polluted with () => true, all HTTP status codes are accepted as success. This vulnerability is fixed in 1.15.1 and 0.31.1.
CVSS Score
MEDIUM
Affected Products
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| Axios | Axios | < 0.31.1 |
Related Weaknesses (CWE)
References
- https://github.com/axios/axios/security/advisories/GHSA-w9j2-pvgh-6h63ExploitMitigationVendor Advisory
- https://github.com/axios/axios/security/advisories/GHSA-w9j2-pvgh-6h63ExploitMitigationVendor Advisory
FAQ
What is CVE-2026-42041?
CVE-2026-42041 is a vulnerability with a CVSS score of 4.8 (MEDIUM). Axios is a promise based HTTP client for the browser and Node.js. Prior to 1.15.1 and 0.31.1, the Axios library is vulnerable to a Prototype Pollution "Gadget" attack that allows any Object.prototype ...
How severe is CVE-2026-42041?
CVE-2026-42041 has been rated MEDIUM with a CVSS base score of 4.8/10. Review the CVSS metrics above for detailed severity breakdown.
Is there a patch for CVE-2026-42041?
Check the references section above for vendor advisories and patch information. Affected products include: Axios Axios.