CVE-2026-78207Network attack vector

Process-wide object pollution via unsafe note merge

Published Aug 24, 2026 · Updated Aug 24, 2026

Prototype pollution in ExcelJS 4.4.0 and earlier allows remote attackers to alter Object.prototype through user-controlled cell notes. Note.prototype.get model passes non-string note objects to _.deepMerge, which recursively assigns proto, constructor, and prototype keys without filtering them. Reachability requires an embedding application to place parsed attacker-controlled JSON in cell.note and serialize the workbook; successful pollution changes inherited properties for later plain objects in the same process.

CVSS severity9.3
Critical
EPSS probability0.44%
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 ExcelJS 4.4.0 and earlier allows remote attackers to alter Object.prototype through user-controlled cell notes. Note.prototype.get model passes non-string note objects to _.deepMerge, which recursively assigns proto, constructor, and prototype keys without filtering them. Reachability requires an embedding application to place parsed attacker-controlled JSON in cell.note and serialize the workbook; successful pollution changes inherited properties for later plain objects in the same process.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-78207
Published
Aug 24, 2026
Updated
Aug 24, 2026
Vendor
ExcelJS
Product
ExcelJS
Classifications
CWE-1321, T1190
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 24, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 24, 2026Record 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=0 <=4.4.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

ExcelJS · ExcelJSversion=0 <=4.4.0

Published CVSS scores

9.3VulnCheck CNACVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
9.8GitHub Security AdvisoryCVSS: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 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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-1321Improperly Controlled Modification of Object Prototype Attributes ('Prototype Pollution')
T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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