GitHub Advisoryadvisory · npm
GHSA-6w3j-5fw6-r9vr joi: Prototype pollution via a `__proto__` language key in custom messages
LOW
Official page ↗
- Aliases
- CVE-2026-84368
- Ecosystem
- npm
- Packages
- joi, @hapi/joi
- Severity
- Low
- CVSS vector
- CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
- Weaknesses
- CWE-1321
- Reviewed
- 2026-09-08
Affected packages
• npm joi: >= 17.2.0, < 17.13.6 → fixed in 17.13.6
• npm @hapi/joi: >= 16.0.0, <= 17.1.1 (no fix yet)
• npm joi: >= 18.0.0, < 18.2.5 → fixed in 18.2.5
Description
Impact
An application that passes attacker-controlled data into joi's custom message configuration (`messages()`, `message()`, `prefs({ messages })`, `Joi.extend({ messages })` or `rule({ message })`) lets the attacker write properties onto `Object.prototype`, where every object in the process then inherits them. A key named `__proto__` was treated as a language name, and the code reused the object it found at that key, which resolves to the prototype rather than to a new own property; a key named `constructor` did the same to the `Object` function's statics. A consuming application that gates on the mere presence of a property (`if (user.isAdmin)`) can be made to take the wrong branch for every object it inspects.
This is not reachable from data that joi validates. Custom messages are schema-construction configuration, normally written by the application developer. Exploitation therefore requires an application that feeds untrusted input straight into schema construction.
Patches
Upgrade to version 18.2.5 or 17.13.6.
Workarounds
Do not pass untrusted input into `messages()`, `message()`, `prefs({ messages })`, `Joi.extend({ messages })` or `rule({ message })`. Or validate that they don't contain any `__proto__` or `constructor` property.
Related
Alias · CVE (1)
- CVE-2026-84368 joi is a schema description language and data validator for JavaScript. vulnerability
Weakness · CWE (1)
- CWE-1321 Improperly Controlled Modification of Object Prototype Attributes weakness
References
- https://github.com/hapijs/joi/security/advisories/GHSA-6w3j-5fw6-r9vr web
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-84368 advisory
- https://github.com/hapijs/joi/pull/3138 web
- https://github.com/hapijs/joi/pull/3139 web
- https://github.com/hapijs/joi/commit/8d0b808f3e874d28f9078f61b7742290989afb36 web
- https://github.com/hapijs/joi/commit/90d07571923c90e3432a328fc041d1cda03d30fa web
- https://github.com/hapijs/joi package