A significant security vulnerability has been identified in Axios, a widely utilized HTTP client library. This vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2026-40175, poses a severe threat by enabling Remote Code Execution (RCE) and potentially compromising entire cloud infrastructures. The flaw has been assigned a critical CVSS 3.1 score of 9.9, indicating its high severity and potential impact on affected systems.
Axios is extensively used in various applications for handling HTTP requests, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for developers and organizations relying on this library. The flaw allows attackers to bypass AWS IMDSv2 security controls, which are designed to protect against unauthorized access to sensitive data. This bypass can lead to the exfiltration of sensitive information, significantly increasing the risk of data breaches.
The technical details of the vulnerability reveal that it exploits weaknesses in the way Axios handles certain HTTP requests. By manipulating these requests, attackers can execute arbitrary code on the affected systems, gaining unauthorized access and control. This capability makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous, as it can be used to infiltrate and manipulate cloud environments.
The impact of this vulnerability is extensive, potentially affecting numerous applications and services that depend on Axios for HTTP communications. Organizations using Axios are at risk of data breaches and unauthorized access to their cloud infrastructures, which could result in significant financial and reputational damage.
To mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2026-40175, it is imperative for users of the Axios library to update to the latest version immediately. Developers should review their applications for any dependencies on Axios and ensure that all instances are patched. Additionally, organizations should monitor their systems for any unusual activity that may indicate an attempted exploitation of this vulnerability.
Source: https://github.com/axios/axios/security/advisories/GHSA-fvcv-3m26-pcqx