Medium

webpack-dev-server vulnerable to HMR WebSocket interception via permissive user proxies

  • Disclosed: 17.06.2026
  • Updated: 11.10.2026 10:22

Impact

When a user-configured proxy on webpack-dev-server has a broad context (e.g. /) and ws: true, it also intercepts the dev server's own HMR WebSocket and forwards it to the proxy target. This leaks the browser's cookies and Origin header to the backend, bypasses the dev server's Host/Origin validation, and corrupts the HMR socket (both HMR and the proxy end up writing to the same socket).

Patches

Fixed in webpack-dev-server 5.2.5.

Workarounds

Scope user-defined proxy context to specific paths instead of /, or omit ws: true from the proxy entry when WebSocket forwarding is not required.

Affected software

Click a technology to see all vulnerabilities affecting it.

PlatformPackageVulnerable versionsFixed in
npm package webpack-dev-server < 5.2.5 5.2.5

References

CVSS score 5.3/10
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
Weakness (CWE)
CWE-346, CWE-441
Platform
npm
Package
webpack-dev-server
Disclosed
17.06.2026
Updated
11.10.2026 10:22

Sources and licenses

OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-mx8g-39q3-5c79 - CC BY 4.0

Vulnerability history: webpack-dev-server

All published vulnerabilities of this package (npm package), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.

Total entries
7
First → latest
01.2019 07.2026
Without a fix
0
Exploited in attacks
0

Severity breakdown

  • High 1
  • Medium 6

Disclosures per year

  1. 2019: 1
  2. 2020: 0
  3. 2021: 0
  4. 2022: 0
  5. 2023: 0
  6. 2024: 0
  7. 2025: 2
  8. 2026: 4
  1. webpack-dev-server vulnerable to HMR WebSocket interception via permissive user proxies this entry
    Medium · 5.3 CVE-2026-9595 < 5.2.5 5.2.5
  2. High · 7.5 CVE-2018-14732 < 3.1.11 3.1.11

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