urllib3 does not control redirects in browsers and Node.js

Description

urllib3 supports being used in a Pyodide runtime utilizing the JavaScript Fetch API or falling back on XMLHttpRequest. This means you can use Python libraries to make HTTP requests from your browser or Node.js. Additionally, urllib3 provides a mechanism to control redirects.

However, the retries and redirect parameters are ignored with Pyodide; the runtime itself determines redirect behavior.

Affected usages

Any code which relies on urllib3 to control the number of redirects for an HTTP request in a Pyodide runtime.

Impact

Redirects are often used to exploit SSRF vulnerabilities. An application attempting to mitigate SSRF or open redirect vulnerabilities by disabling redirects may remain vulnerable if a Pyodide runtime redirect mechanism is unsuitable.

Remediation

If you use urllib3 in Node.js, upgrade to a patched version of urllib3.

Unfortunately, browsers provide no suitable way which urllib3 can use: XMLHttpRequest provides no control over redirects, the Fetch API returns opaqueredirect responses lacking data when redirects are controlled manually. Expect default browser behavior for redirects.

Basic information

Type
reviewed
Severity
medium
Advisory on GitHub
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Repository advisory
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Source code
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Published (advisory)
2025-06-18 17:50:11 UTC
Updated
2025-12-22 18:43:37 UTC
GitHub reviewed
2025-06-18 17:50:11 UTC
NVD published
2025-06-18

EPSS Score

Score Percentile
0.07% 20.37%

CVSS Scores

Base score Version Severity Vector
5.3 3.1
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:H)
Even with access, the exploit needs extra luck, timing, or a fussy environment to actually work.
Privileges required (PR:L)
A normal user session is enough; they don’t have to be admin.
User interaction (UI:N)
Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U)
Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:H)
Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way.
Integrity (I:N)
Data isn’t meaningfully altered or forged.
Availability (A:N)
Service keeps running; no real outage angle.

Identifiers

CWEs

CWE id Name
CWE-601 URL Redirection to Untrusted Site ('Open Redirect')

Credits

  • illia-v (reporter)
  • pquentin (remediation_reviewer)
  • sethmlarson (analyst)

Affected packages (1)

Vulnerable version ranges and first patched releases as published by GitHub.

Ecosystem Package Vulnerable range First patched Vulnerable functions
pip urllib3 >= 2.2.0, < 2.5.0 2.5.0

References

cvelogic Threat Intelligence