CVE-2026-54269: protobufjs Schema-derived Names Can Shadow Runtime-significant Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-f38q-mgvj-vph7
CVSS 5.3
CWE-674 CWE-754
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2026-54269 is a MODERATE (CVSS 5.3) schema-derived names can shadow runtime-significant vulnerability (CWE-674: Uncontrolled Recursion) affecting protobufjs libraries in the npm ecosystem. The issue involves schema-derived names can shadow runtime-significant properties. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 7.6.3, 2.5.1, 1.3.3, 8.6.0.

CVE-2026-54269 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2026-54269
GHSA Identifier GHSA-f38q-mgvj-vph7
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 5.3
CWE Classification CWE-674: Uncontrolled Recursion
Affected Product protobufjs
Package Ecosystem npm
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 5.3

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality None (C:N)
Integrity None (I:N)
Availability Low (A:L)

How to Fix CVE-2026-54269

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected protobufjs dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

protobufjs fixed: 7.6.3
npm install protobufjs@7.6.3
protobufjs-cli fixed: 2.5.1
npm install protobufjs-cli@2.5.1
protobufjs-cli fixed: 1.3.3
npm install protobufjs-cli@1.3.3
protobufjs fixed: 8.6.0
npm install protobufjs@8.6.0
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release:

npm ls protobufjs

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Node.js application is affected by CVE-2026-54269, inspect your project dependencies using npm:

npm ls protobufjs

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of protobufjs in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 7.6.3), your application is affected.

Note: The npm ls protobufjs command inspects dependencies declared in your package.json and lockfile; it does not perform automated runtime dynamic scanning.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-674: Uncontrolled Recursion, where the product does not properly control the amount of recursion that takes place, consuming excessive resources, such as allocated memory or the program stack. In protobufjs, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

## Summary protobufjs accepted certain schema-derived names that could collide with properties used by protobufjs runtime helpers. The known affected names are fields named `hasOwnProperty`, field or oneof names such as `$type` when loaded through protobufjs JSON/reflection descriptors, and service methods whose generated helper name is `rpcCall`. When affected message or service types were used, protobufjs could read schema-controlled data where it expected an own-property helper, reflected type metadata, or the base RPC helper. This could cause deterministic exceptions or recursive calls in affected decode post-checks, verification, object conversion, reflected JSON serialization, or protobufjs RPC helper invocation. ## Impact An attacker who can provide or influence protobuf schemas or protobufjs JSON descriptors may be able to make affected message or service types unusable, resulting in denial of service for the affected processing path. Applications using only trusted schemas are affected only if those schemas contain one of the problematic names and the application reaches the affected API path. The issue is not known to allow code execution by itself. ## Preconditions * The application must use an affected protobufjs version. * The application must load or use a schema or protobufjs JSON descriptor containing one of the problematic names: * a field named `hasOwnProperty`, * a field or oneof named `$type` through protobufjs JSON/reflection descriptor input, * or a service method whose generated helper name is `rpcCall`. * The application must reach the affected API path for that name: required-field decode post-checks, `verify`, or `toObject` for `hasOwnProperty`; reflected message JSON serialization for `$type`; or protobufjs RPC service invocation for `rpcCall`. ## Workarounds Do not load protobuf schemas or protobufjs JSON descriptors from untrusted sources with affected versions. If untrusted schemas or descriptors must be accepted, validate schema-derived field, oneof, and service method names before loading and reject the problematic names described above. Applications using trusted schemas can avoid the issue by renaming affected fields or service methods, or by avoiding the affected API path.

CVE-2026-54269 Affected protobufjs Versions

4 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
7.6.32.5.11.3.38.6.0
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
protobufjs
npm
< 7.6.3
7.6.3
protobufjs-cli
npm
≥ 2.0.0
< 2.5.1
2.5.1
protobufjs-cli
npm
< 1.3.3
1.3.3
protobufjs
npm
≥ 8.0.0
< 8.6.0
8.6.0

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-54269?
CVE-2026-54269 is a security vulnerability in protobufjs involving Schema-derived names can shadow runtime-significant properties under CWE-674: Uncontrolled Recursion.
Which protobufjs versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 7.6.3, 2.5.1, 1.3.3, 8.6.0 across affected packages: protobufjs, protobufjs-cli.
What version fixes CVE-2026-54269?
Upgrading to 7.6.3, 2.5.1, 1.3.3, 8.6.0 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is protobufjs affected?
Yes, protobufjs is affected in releases prior to 7.6.3, 8.6.0. Upgrade your dependency to 7.6.3, 8.6.0 or later.
Is protobufjs-cli affected?
Yes, protobufjs-cli is affected in releases prior to 2.5.1, 1.3.3. Upgrade your dependency to 2.5.1, 1.3.3 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-54269?
CVE-2026-54269 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.3 (MODERATE) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2026-54269?
CVE-2026-54269 is classified under CWE-674: Uncontrolled Recursion (The product does not properly control the amount of recursion that takes place, consuming excessive resources, such as allocated memory or the program stack.).
How can I check npm dependencies for CVE-2026-54269?
Run the dependency tree command: 'npm ls protobufjs'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-f38q-mgvj-vph7",
  "modified" : "2026-07-15T22:06:05Z",
  "published" : "2026-06-15T17:27:18Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-54269" ],
  "summary" : "protobufjs : Schema-derived names can shadow runtime-significant properties",
  "details" : "## Summary\n\nprotobufjs accepted certain schema-derived names that could collide with properties used by protobufjs runtime helpers. The known affected names are fields named `hasOwnProperty`, field or oneof names such as `$type` when loaded through protobufjs JSON/reflection descriptors, and service methods whose generated helper name is `rpcCall`.\n\nWhen affected message or service types were used, protobufjs could read schema-controlled data where it expected an own-property helper, reflected type metadata, or the base RPC helper. This could cause deterministic exceptions or recursive calls in affected decode post-checks, verification, object conversion, reflected JSON serialization, or protobufjs RPC helper invocation.\n\n## Impact\n\nAn attacker who can provide or influence protobuf schemas or protobufjs JSON descriptors may be able to make affected message or service types unusable, resulting in denial of service for the affected processing path.\n\nApplications using only trusted schemas are affected only if those schemas contain one of the problematic names and the application reaches the affected API path.\n\nThe issue is not known to allow code execution by itself.\n\n## Preconditions\n\n* The application must use an affected protobufjs version.\n* The application must load or use a schema or protobufjs JSON descriptor containing one of the problematic names:\n  * a field named `hasOwnProperty`,\n  * a field or oneof named `$type` through protobufjs JSON/reflection descriptor input,\n  * or a service method whose generated helper name is `rpcCall`.\n* The application must reach the affected API path for that name: required-field decode post-checks, `verify`, or `toObject` for `hasOwnProperty`; reflected message JSON serialization for `$type`; or protobufjs RPC service invocation for `rpcCall`.\n\n## Workarounds\n\nDo not load protobuf schemas or protobufjs JSON descriptors from untrusted sources with affected versions. If untrusted schemas or descriptors must be accepted, validate schema-derived field, oneof, and service method names before loading and reject the problematic names described above.\n\nApplications using trusted schemas can avoid the issue by renaming affected fields or service methods, or by avoiding the affected API path.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "protobufjs"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "7.6.3"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 7.6.2"
    }
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "protobufjs-cli"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "2.0.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2.5.1"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 2.5.0"
    }
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "protobufjs-cli"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "1.3.3"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 1.3.2"
    }
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "protobufjs"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "8.0.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "8.6.0"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 8.5.0"
    }
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/protobufjs/protobuf.js/security/advisories/GHSA-f38q-mgvj-vph7"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-54269"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/protobufjs/protobuf.js"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-674", "CWE-754" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-06-15T17:27:18Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2026-06-22T18:16:45Z"
  }
}