GHSA-43fc-jf86-j433

# Denial of Service via **proto** Key in mergeConfig

### Summary

The `mergeConfig` function in axios crashes with a TypeError when processing configuration objects containing `__proto__` as an own property. An attacker can trigger this by providing a malicious configuration object created via `JSON.parse()`, causing complete denial of service.

### Details

The vulnerability exists in `lib/core/mergeConfig.js` at lines 98-101:

```javascript utils.forEach(Object.keys({ ...config1, ...config2 }), function computeConfigValue(prop) { const merge = mergeMap[prop] || mergeDeepProperties; const configValue = merge(config1[prop], config2[prop], prop); (utils.isUndefined(configValue) && merge !== mergeDirectKeys) || (config[prop] = configValue); }); ```

When `prop` is `'__proto__'`:

1. `JSON.parse('{"__proto__": {...}}')` creates an object with `__proto__` as an own enumerable property 2. `Object.keys()` includes `'__proto__'` in the iteration 3. `mergeMap['__proto__']` performs prototype chain lookup, returning `Object.prototype` (truthy object) 4. The expression `mergeMap[prop] || mergeDeepProperties` evaluates to `Object.prototype` 5. `Object.prototype(...)` throws `TypeError: merge is not a function`

The `mergeConfig` function is called by:

- `Axios._request()` at `lib/core/Axios.js:75` - `Axios.getUri()` at `lib/core/Axios.js:201` - All HTTP method shortcuts (`get`, `post`, etc.) at `lib/core/Axios.js:211,224`

### PoC

```javascript import axios from "axios";

const maliciousConfig = JSON.parse('{"__proto__": {"x": 1}}'); await axios.get("https://httpbin.org/get", maliciousConfig); ```

**Reproduction steps:**

1. Clone axios repository or `npm install axios` 2. Create file `poc.mjs` with the code above 3. Run: `node poc.mjs` 4. Observe the TypeError crash

**Verified output (axios 1.13.4):**

``` TypeError: merge is not a function at computeConfigValue (lib/core/mergeConfig.js:100:25) at Object.forEach (lib/utils.js:280:10) at mergeConfig (lib/core/mergeConfig.js:98:9) ```

**Control tests performed:** | Test | Config | Result | |------|--------|--------| | Normal config | `{"timeout": 5000}` | SUCCESS | | Malicious config | `JSON.parse('{"__proto__": {"x": 1}}')` | **CRASH** | | Nested object | `{"headers": {"X-Test": "value"}}` | SUCCESS |

**Attack scenario:** An application that accepts user input, parses it with `JSON.parse()`, and passes it to axios configuration will crash when receiving the payload `{"__proto__": {"x": 1}}`.

### Impact

**Denial of Service** - Any application using axios that processes user-controlled JSON and passes it to axios configuration methods is vulnerable. The application will crash when processing the malicious payload.

Affected environments:

- Node.js servers using axios for HTTP requests - Any backend that passes parsed JSON to axios configuration

This is NOT prototype pollution - the application crashes before any assignment occurs.