Medium severity · published Apr 24, 2026
CVE-2026-42041
Axios: Authentication Bypass via Prototype Pollution Gadget in `validateStatus` Merge Strategy
6.5
CVSS
0.7%
EPSS
No
On KEV
Description
Axios is a promise based HTTP client for the browser and Node.js. Prior to 1.15.1 and 0.31.1, the Axios library is vulnerable to a Prototype Pollution "Gadget" attack that allows any Object.prototype pollution to silently suppress all HTTP error responses (401, 403, 500, etc.), causing them to be treated as successful responses. This completely bypasses application-level authentication and error handling. The root cause is that validateStatus is the only config property using the mergeDirectKeys merge strategy, which uses JavaScript's in operator — an operator that inherently traverses the prototype chain. When Object.prototype.validateStatus is polluted with () => true, all HTTP status codes are accepted as success. This vulnerability is fixed in 1.15.1 and 0.31.1.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
Low
Availability
None
Scope
Unchanged
Exploitation
Is it being used?
Exploit prediction (EPSS)0.7% · higher than 51% of CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo evidence yet
CISA KEVNot listed
Ransomware campaign useNot known
Affected products
Which versions
AX
axios · axios
>= 1.0.0, < 1.15.1; < 0.31.1 · source: vendor, NVD
MT
Migration Toolkit for Applications 8 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
NO
Network Observability (NETOBSERV) 1.11.0 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
OP
OpenShift Pipelines · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat 3scale API Management Platform 2 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat Advanced Cluster Management for Kubernetes 2.14 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat Advanced Cluster Management for Kubernetes 2.15 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat Advanced Cluster Management for Kubernetes 2.16 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security 4.9 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security for Kubernetes 4.10 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat Build of Podman Desktop - Tech Preview · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
Affected product
AX
axios
axios
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