xml2js is vulnerable to prototype pollutionGHSA-776f-qx25-q3cc
MEDIUMFix: Leonidas-from-XIV/node-xml2js#603GHSA-776f-qx25-q3cc is a medium-severity (CVSS 5.3) CWE-1321 vulnerability in xml2js. 1 public exploit or proof-of-concept reference is indexed, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for xml2js — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Exploitation Status
Proof-of-concept exploit code exists
- CISA’s SSVC triage found public proof-of-concept exploit code for this CVE, though no confirmed active exploitation.
- CISA assesses this as automatable — exploitation doesn’t require manual, per-target effort, which raises the odds of mass scanning and opportunistic attacks.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for GHSA-776f-qx25-q3cc.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.
How urgent is this, really
Where this sits among everything scored
Real-World Exposure
How broadly this vulnerability is actually deployed: weekly install volume shows current usage, and reverse-dependency count shows how many other packages break if it stays unpatched.
xml2jsnpmDescription
xml2js versions before 0.5.0 allows an external attacker to edit or add new properties to an object. This is possible because the application does not properly validate incoming JSON keys, thus allowing the __proto__ property to be edited.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📦npm | xml2js | all versions | 0.5.0npm install xml2js@0.5.0 |
Affected Products
xml2jsxml2js_projectResearch use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for xml2js, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update xml2js to 0.5.0 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-776f-qx25-q3cc 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-776f-qx25-q3cc in your dependencies?
Find it across npm, including transitive dependencies.