CVE-2025-15284
Published:December 29, 2025
Updated:November 12, 2026
Improper Input Validation vulnerability in qs (parse modules) allows HTTP DoS.This issue affects qs: < 6.14.1.
Summary
The arrayLimitĀ option in qs did not enforce limits for bracket notation (a[]=1&a[]=2), only for indexed notation (a[0]=1). This is a consistency bug; arrayLimitĀ should apply uniformly across all array notations.
Note:Ā The default parameterLimitĀ of 1000 effectively mitigates the DoS scenario originally described. With default options, bracket notation cannot produce arrays larger than parameterLimitĀ regardless of arrayLimit, because each a[]=valueconsumes one parameter slot. The severity has been reduced accordingly.
Details
The arrayLimitĀ option only checked limits for indexed notation (a[0]=1&a[1]=2) but did not enforce it for bracket notation (a[]=1&a[]=2).
Vulnerable codeĀ (lib/parse.js:159-162):
if (root === '[]' && options.parseArrays) {
obj = utils.combine([], leaf); // No arrayLimit check
}
Working codeĀ (lib/parse.js:175):
else if (index <= options.arrayLimit) { // Limit checked here
obj = [];
obj[index] = leaf;
}
The bracket notation handler at line 159 uses utils.combine([], leaf)Ā without validating against options.arrayLimit, while indexed notation at line 175 checks index <= options.arrayLimitĀ before creating arrays.
PoC
const qs = require('qs');
const result = qs.parse('a[]=1&a[]=2&a[]=3&a[]=4&a[]=5&a[]=6', { arrayLimit: 5 });
console.log(result.a.length); // Output: 6 (should be max 5)
Note on parameterLimit interaction:Ā The original advisory's "DoS demonstration" claimed a length of 10,000, but parameterLimitĀ (default: 1000) caps parsing to 1,000 parameters. With default options, the actual output is 1,000, not 10,000.
Impact
Consistency bug in arrayLimitĀ enforcement. With default parameterLimit, the practical DoS risk is negligible since parameterLimitĀ already caps the total number of parsed parameters (and thus array elements from bracket notation). The risk increases only when parameterLimitĀ is explicitly set to a very high value.
Affected Packages
qs (CDN_JS):
Affected version(s) >=3.0.0 <6.14.1Fix Suggestion:
Update to version 6.14.1https://github.com/ljharb/qs.git (GITHUB):
Affected version(s) >=v0.0.1 <v6.14.1Fix Suggestion:
Update to version v6.14.1qs (NPM):
Affected version(s) >=0.0.1 <6.14.1Fix Suggestion:
Update to version 6.14.1Related ResourcesĀ (6)
Do you need more information?
Contact UsCVSS v4
Base Score:
6.3
Attack Vector
NETWORK
Attack Complexity
LOW
Attack Requirements
PRESENT
Privileges Required
NONE
User Interaction
NONE
Vulnerable System Confidentiality
NONE
Vulnerable System Integrity
NONE
Vulnerable System Availability
LOW
Subsequent System Confidentiality
NONE
Subsequent System Integrity
NONE
Subsequent System Availability
LOW
CVSS v3
Base Score:
3.7
Attack Vector
NETWORK
Attack Complexity
HIGH
Privileges Required
NONE
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
NONE
Integrity
NONE
Availability
LOW
Weakness Type (CWE)
Improper Input Validation
EPSS
Base Score:
0.45