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qs stringify throws TypeError on uncoercible array elements in comma format

Priority HIGH 67CWE-248Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Network
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low
Attack requirements
Present
Impact type
Denial of service
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
None · None · Low
Fix status
Fixed

Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA, GitHub and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-248.

Summary

The qs npm package versions from 6.7.0 before 6.16.1 throw a TypeError when stringified with arrayFormat comma, if an array element cannot be coerced to a string. An element such as an object with a non-callable toString or a null-prototype object triggers the error, which is an uncaught exception (CWE-248). An unauthenticated remote attacker can cause a denial of service when untrusted input reaches qs.stringify, because elements of this kind can come from parsed JSON or from qs.parse with allowPrototypes enabled.

Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-30

Description from the CNA

### Summary `qs.stringify` with `arrayFormat: 'comma'` throws `TypeError: Cannot convert object to primitive value` when an array element cannot be coerced to a string, such as an object with an own non-callable `toString` (`{ "toString": "x" }`) or a null-prototype object. The comma format joins array elements with `Array.prototype.join` and, under `encodeValuesOnly`, first passes each element through `String()` in `utils.encode`; neither guards against an element whose string coercion fails. ### Details In `lib/stringify.js`, the comma branch collapses the array with `obj.join(',')`. For an element whose own `toString` is not callable, `ToPrimitive` skips it, falls through to `Object.prototype.valueOf` (which returns the object itself), and throws. Under `encodeValuesOnly: true`, the same element first reaches `String(str)` in `utils.encode` (`lib/utils.js`) and throws there. Nested arrays (`{ "a": [[{ "toString": "x" }]] }`) throw the same way, through `Array.prototype.toString`. The `indices`, `brackets`, and `repeat` formats walk into object elements instead of coercing them, and are not affected. Such elements can come from untrusted input. `JSON.parse` produces `{ "a": [{ "toString": "x" }] }` with no qs option involved. `qs.parse("a[0][toString]=x", { allowPrototypes: true })` keeps the `toString` key, and `qs.parse("a[][b]=c", { plainObjects: true })` produces a null-prototype element; the default parse options drop `toString` and produce ordinary objects, which do not throw. Express 4's default `query parser`, Express 5's `extended` query parser, and body-parser's `urlencoded({ extended: true })` all call `qs.parse` with `allowPrototypes: true`. #### PoC ```js var qs = require("qs"); qs.stringify(JSON.parse("{\"a\":[{\"toString\":\"x\"}]}"), { arrayFormat: "comma" }); qs.stringify(qs.parse("a[0][toString]=x", { allowPrototypes: true }), { arrayFormat: "comma" }); qs.stringify(qs.parse("a[][b]=c", { plainObjects: true }), { arrayFormat: "comma", encodeValuesOnly: true }); // TypeError: Cannot convert object to primitive value ``` #### Fix Applied in a952e75 on `main` and released as v6.16.1: an element whose string coercion would fail is coerced to its primitive `valueOf`, if any, or else to `Object.prototype.toString`, so it renders as `[object Object]`, the same as any other object element already does under the comma format. Nested arrays are walked the way `join` walks them. Every input that did not previously throw serializes exactly as before, and a `toString` or `valueOf` that itself throws still propagates. ### Affected versions `>=6.7.0 <6.16.1`, fixed in v6.16.1. The `join` path was introduced with the comma format in b84acba and first shipped in v6.7.0; v6.6.x and earlier ignore `arrayFormat: 'comma'` and are not affected. The `encodeValuesOnly` `String()` site was introduced in 4c4b23d (v6.11.1); before that, the same input throws at `join`. Every release from v6.7.0 through v6.16.0 is affected. ### Impact An unauthenticated request can make any code path that re-serializes attacker-influenced data with `qs.stringify` and `arrayFormat: 'comma'` (for example, rebuilding a query string from `req.query` for a redirect or an upstream request, or serializing a parsed JSON body) throw synchronously. In a typical Node.js HTTP framework the throw is caught by the framework error boundary and the affected request returns a 500; the process survives and other requests are unaffected. Where the call runs outside an error boundary, such as an `async` Express 4 handler (where the throw becomes an unhandled promise rejection) or a bare `http` request handler, the process exits, so the impact in that case depends on the application error handling rather than on qs. The default `arrayFormat` (`indices`) is not affected.

Why it matters now

Exploitation Proof of concept CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00368 30th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed qs (ljharb): 6.16.1qs (npm): 6.16.1Red Hat: 3 advisories

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
Poc
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
ljharbqs6.7.0 to before 6.16.16.16.1Patch availableCNA
—qs (npm)6.7.0 to before 6.16.16.16.1Patch availableGHSA-6pq8-jhm2-2vcw
  • qs Vendorljharb Affected 6.7.0 to before 6.16.1 Fixed in 6.16.1 Patch available CNA
  • qs (npm) Vendor— Affected 6.7.0 to before 6.16.1 Fixed in 6.16.1 Patch available GHSA-6pq8-jhm2-2vcw

Remediation

Upgrade qs to version 6.16.1, which fixes the issue in the npm package qs from 6.7.0 before 6.16.1. Red Hat Hardened Images are fixed by RHSA-2026:85266, RHSA-2026:87077 and RHSA-2026:90388.

Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-30

  • Fix · CNA qs (ljharb) Fixed in 6.16.1
  • Fix · GHSA-6pq8-jhm2-2vcw qs (npm) Fixed in 6.16.1 Advisory →

Red Hat 3 advisories

  • RHSA-2026:90388 Released 2026-10-26 · Red Hat rating Important
    Red Hat Hardened Images RPMs Security Update
    • Red Hat Hardened Images grafana12.4-12.4.13-0.4.hum1@aarch64, grafana12.4-12.4.13-0.4.hum1@src, grafana12.4-12.4.13-0.4.hum1@x86_64
  • RHSA-2026:87077 Released 2026-10-21 · Red Hat rating Important
    Red Hat Hardened Images RPMs Security Update
    • Red Hat Hardened Images grafana13.1-13.1.8-0.3.hum1@aarch64, grafana13.1-13.1.8-0.3.hum1@s390x, grafana13.1-13.1.8-0.3.hum1@src +1
  • RHSA-2026:85266 Released 2026-10-19 · Red Hat rating Important
    Red Hat Hardened Images RPMs Security Update
    • Red Hat Hardened Images grafana13.2-13.2.3-0.3.hum1@aarch64, grafana13.2-13.2.3-0.3.hum1@s390x, grafana13.2-13.2.3-0.3.hum1@src +1

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →

ProductStatusPlan or fix
Red Hat Hardened ImagesFixed RHSA-2026:85266, RHSA-2026:87077, RHSA-2026:90388
Not affected: 1 product
  • Red Hat Hardened Images

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-15 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-110816
  2. 2026-10-16 Priority changed: MEDIUM → LOW
  3. 2026-10-16 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
  4. 2026-10-16 CVSS score added · Red Hat
  5. 2026-10-18 CISA SSVC decision points changed
  6. 2026-10-18 Priority changed: LOW → HIGH
  7. 2026-10-20 Fix available: RHSA-2026:85266 · Red Hat
  8. 2026-10-20 Fix available: Red Hat Hardened Images · Red Hat
  9. 2026-10-22 Fix available: RHSA-2026:87077 · Red Hat
  10. 2026-10-22 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
  11. 2026-10-27 Alias added: GHSA-6pq8-jhm2-2vcw
  12. 2026-10-30 Fix available: RHSA-2026:90388 · Red Hat
  13. 2026-10-30 Affected versions changed · Red Hat

References

  • TI-2026-56824 qs.stringify throws TypeError on objects with a non-callable constructor.isBuffer property CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 6.3
  • TI-2026-07665 qs.stringify crashes on null/undefined entries in comma-format arrays under encodeValuesOnly CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 6.3
  • TI-2026-56916 Resource allocation without limits in ljharb qs CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 6.3
  • TI-2026-69286 Prototype pollution in traverse set() modifies built-in prototypes CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 6.9
  • TI-2026-81027 Unencoded keys in qs.stringify allow query parameter injection CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 6.3

Sources