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TI-2026-27362 Aliases CVE-2026-35209GHSA-737v-mqg7-c878

defu: Prototype pollution via `__proto__` key in defaults argument

Priority LOW 39CWE-1321Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Network
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low
Impact type
—
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
None · High · None
Fix status
Fixed

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and GitHub.

Summary

defu is software that allows uers to assign default properties recursively. Prior to version 6.1.5, applications that pass unsanitized user input (e.g. parsed JSON request bodies, database records, or config files from untrusted sources) as the first argument to `defu()` are vulnerable to prototype pollution. A crafted payload containing a `__proto__` key can override intended default values in the merged resul. The internal `_defu` function used `Object.assign({}, defaults)` to copy the defaults object. `Object.assign` invokes the `__proto__` setter, which replaces the resulting object's `[[Prototype]]` with attacker-controlled values. Properties inherited from the polluted prototype then bypass the existing `__proto__` key guard in the `for...in` loop and land in the final result. Version 6.1.5 replaces `Object.assign({}, defaults)` with object spread (`{ ...defaults }`), which uses `[[DefineOwnProperty]]` and does not invoke the `__proto__` setter.

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00405 34th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed defu (unjs): 6.1.5defu (npm): 6.1.5

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
None
Automatable
Yes
Technical impact
Partial

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
unjsdefubefore 6.1.56.1.5Patch availableCNA
—defu (npm)before 6.1.56.1.5Patch availableGHSA-737v-mqg7-c878
  • defu Vendorunjs Affected before 6.1.5 Fixed in 6.1.5 Patch available CNA
  • defu (npm) Vendor— Affected before 6.1.5 Fixed in 6.1.5 Patch available GHSA-737v-mqg7-c878

CPE configurations NVD · 1

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:unjs:defu:*:*:*:*:*:node.js:*:*before 6.1.5Vulnerableunjs
  • cpe:2.3:a:unjs:defu:*:*:*:*:*:node.js:*:* Versions before 6.1.5 Vulnerable ·unjs

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA defu (unjs) Fixed in 6.1.5
  • Fix · GHSA-737v-mqg7-c878 defu (npm) Fixed in 6.1.5 Advisory →

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-35209
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-737v-mqg7-c878

References

Sources