Medium

webpack-dev-server vulnerable to cross-site request forgery via internal developer endpoints

  • Disclosed: 20.07.2026
  • Updated: 11.10.2026 10:22

Impact

The internal /webpack-dev-server/open-editor and /webpack-dev-server/invalidate endpoints perform state-changing actions on any GET request, without verifying that the request originated from the dev server's own page. Any website a developer visits while the dev server is running can trigger them cross-origin with no interaction beyond the visit.

An attacker can open an arbitrary existing local file in the developer's editor, including files outside the project root (e.g. ~/.ssh/config). The file's contents are not returned to the attacker. Repeated requests can also spawn editor processes and force recompilations, degrading the developer's machine.

Patches

Fixed in webpack-dev-server 5.2.6 by rejecting cross-site requests to the /webpack-dev-server/open-editor and /webpack-dev-server/invalidate endpoints (see PR #5698).

Workarounds

None

Affected software

Click a technology to see all vulnerabilities affecting it.

PlatformPackageVulnerable versionsFixed in
npm package webpack-dev-server < 5.2.6 5.2.6

References

CVSS score 4.7/10
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:L
Weakness (CWE)
CWE-352, CWE-749
Platform
npm
Package
webpack-dev-server
Disclosed
20.07.2026
Updated
11.10.2026 10:22

Sources and licenses

OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-f5vj-f2hx-8m93 - 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 cross-site request forgery via internal developer endpoints this entry
    Medium · 4.7 CVE-2026-14620 < 5.2.6 5.2.6
  2. High · 7.5 CVE-2018-14732 < 3.1.11 3.1.11

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