CVE-2022-37601
CRITICALPrototype pollution in webpack loader-utils
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
Blast Radius
Weekly download volume for affected packages — a proxy for how broadly this vulnerability is deployed.
loader-utilsnpmDescription
Prototype pollution vulnerability in function parseQuery in parseQuery.js in webpack loader-utils via the name variable in parseQuery.js. This affects all versions prior to 1.4.1 and 2.0.3.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📦npm | loader-utils | ≥ 2.0.0&&< 2.0.3 | 2.0.3 |
| 📦npm | loader-utils | all versions | 1.4.1 |
Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Prototype pollution vulnerability in function parseQuery in parseQuery.j…
Prototype pollution vulnerability in function parseQuery in parseQuery.j…
Prototype pollution vulnerability in function parseQuery in parseQuery.j…
Prototype pollution vulnerability in function parseQuery in parseQuery.j…
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for loader-utils. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.
Fix
Update loader-utils to 2.0.3 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2022-37601 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 pinpoints whether CVE-2022-37601 is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.
Tailored to CVE-2022-37601. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2022-37601 in your dependencies?
O3 detects CVE-2022-37601 across npm dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.