CVE-2025-15284Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Service disruption via bracket-notation arrayLimit bypass

Published Dec 29, 2025 · Updated Dec 29, 2025

Improper input validation in qs before 6.14.1 allows remote attackers to disrupt services through oversized bracket-notation arrays. The bracket-notation branch in lib/parse.js combines each parsed leaf into an array without enforcing the configured arrayLimit. Exploitation requires an application to parse attacker-controlled input with a very high parameterLimit; the default limit caps bracket arrays at 1,000 elements.

CVSS severity6.3
Medium
EPSS probability0.46%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Improper input validation in qs before 6.14.1 allows remote attackers to disrupt services through oversized bracket-notation arrays. The bracket-notation branch in lib/parse.js combines each parsed leaf into an array without enforcing the configured arrayLimit. Exploitation requires an application to parse attacker-controlled input with a very high parameterLimit; the default limit caps bracket arrays at 1,000 elements.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-15284
Published
Dec 29, 2025
Updated
Dec 29, 2025
Vendor
ljharb
Product
qs
Classifications
CWE-20, CAPEC-469, T1499.003
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 29, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Dec 29, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=< 6.14.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

ljharb · qsversion=< 6.14.1

Published CVSS scores

6.3harborist CNACVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:L
3.7harborist CNACVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L

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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-20Improper Input Validation
CAPEC-469HTTP DoS
T1499.003Application Exhaustion Flood

Public exploit references

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

Technologies

Your stack

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo