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webpack-dev-server vulnerable to HMR WebSocket interception via permissive user proxies

Moderate
bjohansebas published GHSA-mx8g-39q3-5c79 Jun 15, 2026

Package

npm webpack-dev-server (npm)

Affected versions

< 5.2.5

Patched versions

5.2.5

Description

Impact

When a user-configured proxy on webpack-dev-server has a broad context (e.g. /) and ws: true, it also intercepts the dev server's own HMR WebSocket and forwards it to the proxy target. This leaks the browser's cookies and Origin header to the backend, bypasses the dev server's Host/Origin validation, and corrupts the HMR socket (both HMR and the proxy end up writing to the same socket).

Patches

Fixed in webpack-dev-server 5.2.5.

Workarounds

Scope user-defined proxy context to specific paths instead of /, or omit ws: true from the proxy entry when WebSocket forwarding is not required.

References

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
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
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:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L

CVE ID

CVE-2026-9595

Weaknesses

Origin Validation Error

The product does not properly verify that the source of data or communication is valid. Learn more on MITRE.

Unintended Proxy or Intermediary ('Confused Deputy')

The product receives a request, message, or directive from an upstream component, but the product does not sufficiently preserve the original source of the request before forwarding the request to an external actor that is outside of the product's control sphere. This causes the product to appear to be the source of the request, leading it to act as a proxy or other intermediary between the upstream component and the external actor. Learn more on MITRE.

Credits