CVE-2020-28472Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Prototype pollution via prohibited INI section names

Published Jan 19, 2021 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

Prototype pollution in AWS SDK for JavaScript before 2.814.0 allows attackers to alter object prototypes through a crafted INI file. The loadSharedConfigFiles parser and @aws-sdk/shared-ini-file-loader before 1.0.0-rc.9 accept proto as a section name and assign its keys into a normal object, changing its inherited prototype. An application must parse an attacker-supplied shared configuration or credentials file; downstream consequences depend on how polluted properties are consumed.

CVSS severity7.3
High
EPSS probability2.14%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Prototype pollution in AWS SDK for JavaScript before 2.814.0 allows attackers to alter object prototypes through a crafted INI file. The loadSharedConfigFiles parser and @aws-sdk/shared-ini-file-loader before 1.0.0-rc.9 accept proto as a section name and assign its keys into a normal object, changing its inherited prototype. An application must parse an attacker-supplied shared configuration or credentials file; downstream consequences depend on how polluted properties are consumed.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-28472
Published
Jan 19, 2021
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
Amazon Web Services
Product
AWS SDK for JavaScript
Classifications
CWE-1321
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 19, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 16, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=unspecified <2.814.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Amazon Web Services · AWS SDK for JavaScriptversion=unspecified <2.814.0
Amazon Web Services · @aws-sdk/shared-ini-file-loaderversion=unspecified <1.0.0-rc.9

Published CVSS scores

7.3SnykCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
7.5NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
9.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-1321Improperly Controlled Modification of Object Prototype Attributes ('Prototype Pollution')

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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