# CVE-2026-44496: Axios ReDoS via unsanitized XSRF cookie name

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-44496-axios-redos-via-unsanitized-xsrf-cookie-name  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-06-11. Updated: 2026-06-11  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-44496 · Severity: high · CVSS 7.5 · Published 2026-06-11

Axios is a widely used library for making web requests in browsers and Node.js applications. A security flaw in how it handles security cookies (XSRF) allows an attacker to freeze a user's browser tab by providing a specially crafted cookie name. This results in a denial-of-service for the user, making the application unresponsive, though it does not expose private data or passwords.

Technologies: [Axios](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/axios), [axios (npm)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/npm-axios). Vendors: [Axios](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/axios), [npm](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/npm).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-44496 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-44496 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-44496?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 7.5, published 11 June 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Axios < 0.32.0, >= 1.0.0 < 1.16.0; axios (npm) SEMVER:introduced=1.0.0,fixed=1.16.0.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-44496?** Yes. axios (npm): upgrade to 1.16.0 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-44496 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-44496?** Check whether you run Axios or axios (npm) at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## How to fix

- axios (npm): upgrade to 1.16.0 or later

  ```sh
  npm install axios@1.16.0
  ```


## Technical details

A Regular Expression Denial of Service (ReDoS) vulnerability exists in the `cookies.read()` function within `lib/helpers/cookies.js`. The library constructs a dynamic regular expression using the `xsrfCookieName` configuration value without escaping regex metacharacters. If an attacker can influence this configuration (e.g., via configuration injection or prototype pollution), they can provide a payload with nested quantifiers (like `(.+)+$`) that triggers catastrophic backtracking when matched against `document.cookie`. This issue specifically affects browser-based environments where `document.cookie` is accessed; Node.js, React Native, and Web Workers are generally unaffected. The fix involves replacing dynamic regex construction with string splitting and exact equality checks.

## Affected products

- Axios Axios < 0.32.0, >= 1.0.0 < 1.16.0

## Identifiers

- CVE-2026-44496
- GHSA-hfxv-24rg-xrqf

## Timeline

- 2026-05-30: advisory: Initial GitHub security advisory published
- 2026-06-11: disclosed: CVE-2026-44496 published to NVD

## References

- [https://github.com/axios/axios/security/advisories/GHSA-hfxv-24rg-xrqf](https://github.com/axios/axios/security/advisories/GHSA-hfxv-24rg-xrqf)

## Related threats

- [Axios NO_PROXY CIDR notation bypass in Node.js adapter](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-101899-axios-cidr-form-no-proxy-entries-are-ignored-causing-proxy)
- [Axios prototype pollution in ToFormData](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-101909-axios-is-a-promise-based-http-client-for-the-browser-and-node-js)
- [Axios fetch adapter header injection via prototype pollution](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-101908-axios-is-a-promise-based-http-client-for-the-browser-and-node-js)
- [Axios fetch adapter maxRedirects bypass](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-101907-axios-is-a-promise-based-http-client-for-the-browser-and-node-js)
- [Axios ReDoS in shouldBypassProxy regular expression](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-101906-axios-is-a-promise-based-http-client-for-the-browser-and-node-js)