All vulnerabilities
CVE-2026-18540GHSA-r53p-7pc4-xj5r

undici vulnerable to downstream response splitting via retry interceptor

undici undicinpmLibraries & packages
CVSS
3.7Low
ExploitationNo known exploitationNot in CISA KEV, which does not prove it is unexploitedCISA KEV
Exploit odds (EPSS)0.24%Chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 14% of CVEs. Scored 23 Oct 2026FIRST EPSS
Fixed in6.28.1Also 7.29.1, 8.10.2GitHub
Published4 Sep 2026Updated 29 Sep 2026CVE List

What fixes it

A fixed version on one release line is not the upgrade target for every line. Check your exact version and any vendor backports.

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 set maxRetries: 0.
  • Remove or recalculate Content-Length before forwarding a response body assembled by Undici.

Text from GitHub Advisory Database

Affected versions 12

  • undici, npm< 6.28.1GitHub
  • undici, npm>= 7.0.0, < 7.29.1GitHub
  • undici, npm>= 8.0.0, < 8.10.2GitHub
  • undiciaffected: all versions before 6.28.1CVE List
  • undiciunaffected: 6.28.1CVE List
  • undiciaffected: 7.0.0 before 7.29.1CVE List
  • undiciunaffected: 7.29.1CVE List
  • undiciaffected: 8.0.0 before 8.10.2CVE List
  • undiciunaffected: 8.10.2CVE List
  • undici, npmfrom first release, fixed in 6.28.1OSV
  • undici, npmfrom 7.0.0, fixed in 7.29.1OSV
  • undici, npmfrom 8.0.0, fixed in 8.10.2OSV

References 12