qs.stringify with allowEmptyArrays does not encode the keys of empty arrays, allowing query string parameter injection

MITRE NVD CVE.ORG JSON API

Summary

CVECVE-2026-110910
StatePUBLISHED
Assignerharborist
Source PriorityCVE Program / NVD first with legacy fallback
Published2026-10-27 07:16:32 UTC
Updated2026-10-27 07:16:32 UTC
Description### Summary `qs.stringify` with `allowEmptyArrays: true` writes the key of an empty array without encoding it, even though keys are encoded by default. A key that contains `&` (or the configured `delimiter`), `=`, or `#` ∴ becomes query string syntax instead of data, so a caller-supplied key name can add parameters to the serialized query string, or cut it short. ### Details In `lib/stringify.js`, the `allowEmptyArrays` branch returns `adjustedPrefix + '[]'` early, before the code that passes every other key through `encoder` and `formatter`. So `{ "x&k=v": ["1"] }` serializes as `x%26k%3Dv%5B0%5D=1`, but `{ "x&k=v": [] }` serializes as `x&k=v[]`. The early return applies at any depth (`{ "a": { "b&k=v": [] } }` gives `a[b&k=v][]`), under every `arrayFormat`, with `allowDots`, and with a custom `encoder`, which is never called for that key. With `encode: false` or `encodeValuesOnly: true`, keys are intentionally left unencoded on every path; those configurations are not affected. #### PoC ```js var qs = require("qs"); var query = qs.stringify({ q: "hi", "x&apiKey=evil&y": [] }, { allowEmptyArrays: true }); // "q=hi&x&apiKey=evil&y[]" qs.parse(query); // { q: "hi", x: "", apiKey: "evil", y: [""] } qs.stringify({ "x#": [], z: "1" }, { allowEmptyArrays: true }); // "x#[]&z=1": in a URL, everything after "#" becomes the fragment ``` #### Fix Applied in 234d505 on `main` and released as v6.17.0: the key of an empty array goes through `encoder` and `formatter` exactly as the key of any other value does, so `{ "x&apiKey=evil&y": [] }` now serializes as `x%26apiKey%3Devil%26y[]`. Keys that need no encoding serialize as before, with two exceptions that match every other path: the brackets of a nested key are now encoded (`a[b][]` becomes `a%5Bb%5D[]`, which `qs.parse` reads identically), and with `encodeDotInKeys`, a dot in the key becomes `%252E` instead of `%2E` (which `decodeDotInKeys` previously misread as nesting). ### Affected versions `>=6.12.0 <6.17.0`, fixed in v6.17.0. `allowEmptyArrays` was introduced in f22b2bc and first shipped in v6.12.0, with this early return. Every release from v6.12.0 through v6.16.1 is affected. Earlier versions have no `allowEmptyArrays` option and are not affected. ### Impact An application that passes an object whose key names come from untrusted input to `qs.stringify` with `allowEmptyArrays: true` (for example, to forward a parsed JSON body or user-selected fields to an upstream service) can have parameters injected into the resulting query string. The injected parameters are not keys of the object, so deleting or overwriting a key on the object (such as setting a trusted `apiKey` after copying the user's fields) does not remove them; whether the attacker's value or the application's wins depends on how the receiving side handles a duplicate parameter. A `#` in such a key ends the query string early when the result is placed in a URL. `allowEmptyArrays` is off by default, and only keys whose value (after any `filter`) is an empty array are affected.

Risk And Classification

Primary CVSS: v4.0 6.3 MEDIUM from 7ffcee3d-2c14-4c3e-b844-86c6a321a158

CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X

Problem Types: CWE-116 | CWE-116 CWE-116 Improper Encoding or Escaping of Output

VersionSourceTypeScoreSeverityVector
4.07ffcee3d-2c14-4c3e-b844-86c6a321a158Secondary6.3MEDIUMCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/C...
4.0CNACVSS6.3MEDIUMCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
3.17ffcee3d-2c14-4c3e-b844-86c6a321a158Secondary3.7LOWCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
3.1CNACVSS3.7LOWCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N

CVSS v4.0 Breakdown

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Attack Requirements
Present
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
None
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
Low
Availability
None
Sub Conf.
None
Sub Integrity
None
Sub Availability
None

CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X

CVSS v3.1 Breakdown

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
High
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
Low
Availability
None

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N

Vendor Declared Affected Products

SourceVendorProductVersionPlatforms
CNA Ljharb Qs affected 6.12.0 6.17.0 semver Not specified

References

ReferenceSourceLinkTags
github.com/ljharb/qs/commit/234d5051f5071efaa025a7ca9e4d34a56a460a1b 7ffcee3d-2c14-4c3e-b844-86c6a321a158 github.com
github.com/ljharb/qs/issues/626 7ffcee3d-2c14-4c3e-b844-86c6a321a158 github.com
github.com/ljharb/qs/security/advisories/GHSA-w4cr-vjpx-p82q 7ffcee3d-2c14-4c3e-b844-86c6a321a158 github.com
github.com/ljharb/qs/pull/561 7ffcee3d-2c14-4c3e-b844-86c6a321a158 github.com
CVE Program record CVE.ORG www.cve.org canonical
NVD vulnerability detail NVD nvd.nist.gov canonical, analysis

Vendor Comments And Credit

Discovery Credit

CNA: DucMinhNe (en)

CNA: DucMinhNe (en)

CNA: ljharb (en)

Additional Advisory Data

Solutions

CNA: Upgrade to qs 6.17.0 or later.

Workarounds

CNA: Leave `allowEmptyArrays` off (the default), or check key names that come from untrusted input against an allowlist before passing the object to `qs.stringify`.

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