undici vulnerable to downstream response splitting via retry interceptor
GHSA-r53p-7pc4-xj5r · CVE-2026-18540
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Description
Impact
Undici's interceptors.retry() can resume a request after a partial response and append the resumed bytes to an already partially delivered body, while the application still receives the original response's status and headers. When that response carried a Content-Length, the application can receive a longer body. Applications that forward Undici's status, headers, and body downstream without recalculating framing, for example proxy or gateway applications, may emit a response whose body exceeds the forwarded Content-Length, and the excess bytes can be read as the start of a subsequent HTTP response (downstream response splitting or desynchronization).
For example, a 404 Not Found with Content-Length: 2 that sends one byte then closes can be resumed with an open-ended Range request, and the resumed 206 Partial Content bytes are appended, so the application receives more than two body bytes while still seeing Content-Length: 2. The bug requires interceptors.retry() enabled, an attacker-controlled or faulty upstream, and a downstream forwarder that does not recalculate Content-Length.
Patches
Patched in undici v6.28.1, v7.29.1, and v8.10.2. Upgrade to one of these or later.
Workarounds
- Disable
interceptors.retry()for untrusted upstreams, or setmaxRetries: 0. - Remove or recalculate
Content-Lengthbefore forwarding a response body assembled by Undici.
References
- WEB https://github.com/nodejs/undici/security/advisories/GHSA-r53p-7pc4-xj5r
- ADVISORY https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-18540
- WEB https://github.com/nodejs/undici/commit/0160a719063fb0a77f4fdf9500b9166b91e14329
- WEB https://github.com/nodejs/undici/commit/cd8af90b38ae33c2838d54a2d629774122effe95
- WEB https://github.com/nodejs/undici/commit/ce31bc824b578008faae5d3350da66c1b5f71548
- WEB https://hackerone.com/reports/3900104
- WEB https://hackerone.com/reports/3900615
- WEB https://cna.openjsf.org/security-advisories.html
- PACKAGE https://github.com/nodejs/undici
- WEB https://github.com/nodejs/undici/releases/tag/v6.28.1
- WEB https://github.com/nodejs/undici/releases/tag/v7.29.1
- WEB https://github.com/nodejs/undici/releases/tag/v8.10.2
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