Update dependency js-yaml to v4.3.1 [SECURITY] - #2381
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This PR contains the following updates:
4.3.0→4.3.1js-yaml has prototype pollution in merge (<<)
CVE-2025-64718 / GHSA-mh29-5h37-fv8m
More information
Details
Impact
In js-yaml 4.1.0, 4.0.0, and 3.14.1 and below, it's possible for an attacker to modify the prototype of the result of a parsed yaml document via prototype pollution (
__proto__). All users who parse untrusted yaml documents may be impacted.Patches
Problem is patched in js-yaml 4.1.1 and 3.14.2.
Workarounds
You can protect against this kind of attack on the server by using
node --disable-proto=deleteordeno(in Deno, pollution protection is on by default).References
https://cheatsheetseries.owasp.org/cheatsheets/Prototype_Pollution_Prevention_Cheat_Sheet.html
Severity
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:NReferences
This data is provided by the GitHub Advisory Database (CC-BY 4.0).
JS-YAML: Quadratic-complexity DoS in merge key handling via repeated aliases
CVE-2026-53550 / GHSA-h67p-54hq-rp68
More information
Details
Summary
A crafted YAML document can trigger algorithmic CPU exhaustion in
js-yamlmerge-key processing (<<) by repeating the same alias many times in a merge sequence.This causes quadratic parse-time behavior relative to input size and can block a Node.js worker/event loop for seconds with a relatively small payload (tens of KB), resulting in denial of service.
Details
The issue is in merge handling inside
lib/loader.js:storeMappingPair(...)iterates every element of a merge sequence when key tag istag:yaml.org,2002:merge.mergeMappings(...).mergeMappings(...)computesObject.keys(source)and performs_hasOwnProperty.call(destination, key)checks for each key.When input is of the form:
a: &a {k0:0, k1:0, ..., kK:0}
b: {<<: [*a, *a, *a, ... repeated M times ...]}
all *a entries refer to the same anchored object. After the first merge, subsequent merges are semantically no-ops, but the parser still reprocesses all keys each time.
Resulting work is O(K * M), while input size is O(K + M), giving quadratic scaling as payload grows.
Relevant code path:
lib/loader.js in storeMappingPair(...) merge branch (keyTag === 'tag:yaml.org,2002:merge')
lib/loader.js mergeMappings(...)
Root cause
File: lib/loader.js
Function: storeMappingPair(state, _result, overridableKeys, keyTag, keyNode,
valueNode, startLine, startLineStart, startPos)
Lines: ~359-366
When the merge value is a sequence (YAML 1.1 <<: [ *a, *a, ... ]), each element
is handed to mergeMappings() without deduplication. mergeMappings() then does
Every alias reference in the sequence resolves (by design) to the SAME object
via state.anchorMap. After the first merge, every subsequent merge of that same
reference is a pure no-op semantically, but still performs:
Total: M * K hasOwnProperty checks + M Object.keys allocations, while the final
object and all observable side effects are identical to a single merge.
YAML semantics for
<<:are idempotent and commutative over duplicate sources,so collapsing duplicates preserves behavior exactly; this isn't a spec trade-off.
PoC
Environment:
js-yaml version: 4.1.1
Node.js: v24.5.0
Platform: arm64 macOS (reproduced consistently)
Reproduction script:
Create many keys in one anchored map (&a).
Merge that same alias repeatedly via <<: [*a, *a, ...].
Measure parse time and compare with control payload using single merge (<<: *a).
Observed repeated runs (same machine):
K=M=1000, input 9,909 bytes: ~33–36 ms
K=M=2000, input 20,909 bytes: ~121–123 ms
K=M=4000, input 42,909 bytes: ~524–537 ms
K=M=6000, input 64,909 bytes: ~1,608–1,829 ms
K=M=8000, input 86,909 bytes: ~3,395–3,565 ms
Control (single merge, similar key counts):
K=2000: ~1–2 ms
K=4000: ~3 ms
K=8000: ~5 ms
Also verified: repeated-merge output equals single-merge output (same key count and same JSON), confirming excess time is redundant computation.
Impact
This is a denial-of-service vulnerability (CPU exhaustion / algorithmic complexity).
Any service parsing untrusted YAML with js-yaml can be impacted, including API backends, CI tools, config processors, and automation services. An attacker can submit crafted YAML to significantly increase CPU time and reduce availability.
Suggested fix:
Dedupe the merge source list by reference before invoking mergeMappings. Any of
the following are minimal and preserve YAML 1.1 merge semantics:
dedupe in storeMappingPair:
Severity
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:LReferences
This data is provided by the GitHub Advisory Database (CC-BY 4.0).
js-yaml: YAML merge-key chains can force quadratic CPU consumption
CVE-2026-59869 / GHSA-52cp-r559-cp3m
More information
Details
Impact
js-yaml can spend quadratic CPU time parsing a document whose size grows only linearly. The issue is triggered by a chain of mappings where each mapping merges the previous one:
For each new mapping, the loader has to enumerate the keys inherited from the previous mapping. With N chained mappings, this results in roughly 1 + 2 + ... + N merged-key visits, i.e., O(N^2) work for O(N) input size.
PoC
From N = 4000 delay become > 1s (doc size < 100K)
Patches
Fix released. The most robust protection is to limit the total number of merged keys per parse call. This should close all past and future edge cases with merge. The default 10K-key limit should be okay in most cases.
Severity
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:HReferences
This data is provided by the GitHub Advisory Database (CC-BY 4.0).
JS-YAML: Quadratic CPU consumption in !!omap resolution (3.x and 4.x) — CVE-2026-59870 fix not backported
GHSA-5p4m-2wfm-xmqj
More information
Details
Quadratic CPU consumption in
!!omapresolution (js-yaml 3.x and 4.x)Summary
resolveYamlOmap()enforces key uniqueness for!!omapsequences with a linearscan (
objectKeys.indexOf(...)) inside the per-element loop, making resolutionO(n²) in the number of entries. A modestly sized YAML document therefore
consumes disproportionate CPU inside
yaml.load(), giving a denial of serviceagainst any consumer that parses untrusted YAML.
!!omapis registered in the default schema(
lib/schema/default.js→require('../type/omap')), so a plainyaml.load(untrustedInput)with no options is affected — no custom schema ornon-default configuration is required.
This is the same weakness as CVE-2026-59870 / GHSA-724g-mxrg-4qvm, which was
fixed in the 5.x line in 5.2.1. That fix was never backported: both currently
maintained legacy lines still carry the original implementation.
Affected versions
objectKeys.indexOf(pairKey)atlib/type/omap.js:29objectKeys.indexOf(pairKey)atlib/type/omap.js:30Set)Both figures are the newest release of each line at the time of writing, so
this is not a "you are on an old version" issue.
Details
lib/type/omap.js(js-yaml 4.3.0):objectKeysgrows by one element per entry, andArray.prototype.indexOfis alinear scan, so resolving an
n-entry!!omapperforms roughly1 + 2 + … + ncomparisons — quadratic inn. The work happens synchronouslyinside
yaml.load(), blocking the event loop for its whole duration.The 5.x line already solves exactly this by tracking seen keys in a
Set(
src/tag/sequence/omap.ts):Proof of concept
Measured (node v20.20.2, default heap, no flags)
js-yaml 4.3.0
js-yaml 3.15.0
Runtime grows by a factor of ~4 for each doubling of
n, which is thesignature of O(n²) (linear growth would be ~2×).
Scaling further: a 2.48 MB document with 150,000 entries blocked
yaml.load()for 10.8 seconds.Impact
Any service that parses attacker-influenced YAML with js-yaml 3.x or 4.x can be
stalled with a small input. Because the loop is synchronous, a single request
blocks the Node.js event loop and stalls every other request in the process —
so the amplification is per-process, not just per-request.
Suggested severity: consistent with CVE-2026-59870 (the same weakness in
5.x), i.e. Availability-only impact, network attack vector, no privileges or
user interaction required.
Suggested fix
Mirror the 5.x fix — replace the linear scan with a
Set:This preserves the existing duplicate-key rejection semantics exactly while
making resolution O(n). A
maxOmapLength-style cap would also work, but theSetmatches what 5.x already ships and requires no new option.References
lib/type/omap.js(3.x, 4.x) — the affected resolverlib/schema/default.js— registers!!omapin the default schemaDiscovery
Found by an automated static-analysis and executed-proof-of-concept scanner run
against js-yaml 4.2.0, then manually verified against 3.15.0 and 4.3.0 by
executing the proof of concept above. All timings in this report were measured
on the current releases of each line, not on the version originally scanned.
Severity
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:HReferences
This data is provided by the GitHub Advisory Database (CC-BY 4.0).
Release Notes
nodeca/js-yaml (js-yaml)
v4.3.1Compare Source
Configuration
📅 Schedule: (UTC)
🚦 Automerge: Enabled.
♻ Rebasing: Whenever PR is behind base branch, or you tick the rebase/retry checkbox.
🔕 Ignore: Close this PR and you won't be reminded about this update again.
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