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TI-2026-35994 Aliases CVE-2026-48713GHSA-2933-q333-qg83

i18next-fs-backend: Prototype pollution via crafted missing-key string

Priority MEDIUM 46CWE-1321Published · Updated

Key facts

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

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

Summary

Versions prior to 2.6.6 are vulnerable to prototype pollution via crafted missing-key strings when used to persist missing translation keys (e.g. via i18next-http-middleware's missingKeyHandler exposed to untrusted input). Backend.writeFile() splits each queued missing-key string on the configured keySeparator (default .) before calling the internal setPath() walker. The walker (getLastOfPath in lib/utils.js) did not guard against unsafe segments, so a key like "__proto__.polluted" was split into ["__proto__", "polluted"] and walked straight into Object.prototype, allowing an attacker to write arbitrary properties onto the global object prototype. Depending on the host application, polluted prototype properties may cause crashes, corrupted translation behaviour, configuration poisoning, or bypasses of property-based security checks. Applications are affected only if the missingKeyHandler (or another route that forwards untrusted request bodies to i18next.t(..., { ... }) with saveMissing: true) is reachable by untrusted users and the default behaviour of splitting missing-key strings on keySeparator is in use (i.e. keySeparator is not false). Apps that do not expose missing-key persistence to untrusted input are not directly affected through this attack path. This issue has been fixed in version 2.6.6. If developers using the library are unable to upgrade immediately, they should take the following precautions: do not expose i18next-http-middleware's missingKeyHandler to untrusted users (mount it behind authentication, or remove the route), disable missing-key persistence (saveMissing: false, or no backend.create implementation) when accepting writes from untrusted input, and set keySeparator: false in their i18next options to disable backend key splitting (note: this also disables nested translation keys).

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00492 42nd percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed i18next-fs-backend (i18next): 2.6.6i18next-fs-backend (npm): 2.6.6

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
i18nexti18next-fs-backendbefore 2.6.62.6.6Patch availableCNA
—i18next-fs-backend (npm)before 2.6.62.6.6Patch availableGHSA-2933-q333-qg83
  • i18next-fs-backend Vendori18next Affected before 2.6.6 Fixed in 2.6.6 Patch available CNA
  • i18next-fs-backend (npm) Vendor— Affected before 2.6.6 Fixed in 2.6.6 Patch available GHSA-2933-q333-qg83

CPE configurations NVD · 1

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:i18next:i18next-fs-backend:*:*:*:*:*:node.js:*:*before 2.6.6Vulnerablei18next
  • cpe:2.3:a:i18next:i18next-fs-backend:*:*:*:*:*:node.js:*:* Versions before 2.6.6 Vulnerable ·i18next

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA i18next-fs-backend (i18next) Fixed in 2.6.6
  • Fix · GHSA-2933-q333-qg83 i18next-fs-backend (npm) Fixed in 2.6.6 Advisory →

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-48713
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-2933-q333-qg83
  3. 2026-10-11 EPSS moved to the 50th–90th percentile
  4. 2026-10-25 EPSS moved to the below the 50th percentile

References

Sources