i18next-http-middleware missingKeyHandler does not reject keys whose segments contain prototype-polluting names
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
i18next-http-middleware is a middleware to be used with Node.js web frameworks like express or Fastify and also for Deno. In versions prior to 3.9.7, the missingKeyHandler blocked the literal request-body keys __proto__, constructor, and prototype (added in 3.9.3, see GHSA-5fgg-jcpf-8jjw), but did not reject dotted variants such as "__proto__.polluted". Downstream backends that split the missing-key string on a configured keySeparator (notably i18next-fs-backend ≤ 2.6.5) hand these keys to an unguarded setPath() walker that writes to Object.prototype. Applications that expose missingKeyHandler to untrusted input AND use i18next-fs-backend ≤ 2.6.5 are directly exploitable for remote prototype pollution. Other downstream backends that split the missing-key string the same way may be similarly affected. Depending on the host application, polluted prototype properties may cause crashes, corrupted translation behaviour, configuration poisoning, or bypasses of property-based security checks. This issue has been fixed in version 3.9.7. If developers cannot upgrade immediately, they should do the following: do not expose missingKeyHandler to untrusted users (mount it behind authentication, or remove the route), add a request-body filter ahead of the handler that rejects any top-level key containing __proto__, constructor, or prototype after splitting on their configured keySeparator, and disable missing-key persistence (saveMissing: false) when accepting writes from untrusted input.
Why it matters now
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
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| i18next | i18next-http-middleware | before 3.9.7 | 3.9.7 | Patch available | CNA |
| — | i18next-http-middleware (npm) | before 3.9.7 | 3.9.7 | Patch available | GHSA-f49m-vf83-692w |
- i18next-http-middleware Vendori18next Affected before 3.9.7 Fixed in 3.9.7 Patch available CNA
- i18next-http-middleware (npm) Vendor— Affected before 3.9.7 Fixed in 3.9.7 Patch available GHSA-f49m-vf83-692w
Remediation
- Fix · CNA i18next-http-middleware (i18next) Fixed in 3.9.7
- Fix · GHSA-f49m-vf83-692w i18next-http-middleware (npm) Fixed in 3.9.7 Advisory →
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-48714
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-f49m-vf83-692w
- 2026-10-11 EPSS moved to the 50th–90th percentile
- 2026-10-25 EPSS moved to the below the 50th percentile
References
Patch 1
Advisory 2
Sources
- CVE-2026-48714 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-48714 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-f49m-vf83-692w · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
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