Summary
Orval: Import-time RCE via query parameter name -> computed-property-key injection in the zod cli
orval's zod client emits each query parameter name as a double-quoted key in the generated zod.object({...}) request-validation schema WITHOUT escaping the double quote. A " in the query parameter name closes the key and lands in object-literal context, where an injected computed property key [expr] is evaluated when zod.object({...}) runs -- at MODULE IMPORT (export const OpQueryParams = zod.object({...}) executes on load) -> import-time RCE. The query parameter name is a pure data field. Verified on orval 8.19.0 / Node.
Details
export const OpQueryParams = zod.object({ "a":zod.string(),[require("fs").writeFileSync("PWNED","")]:zod.string(),"b": ... })
Also affects the hono client (reuses zod generation). orval escapes values in zod arrays but not keys in zod.object. Sibling fields: schema property name, header parameter name (CVE-97) (separate reports). Distinct from orval's $ref / route-path / server-url / zod-default findings.
PoC
reproduce.sh (+ make_spec.py) attached: a query parameter name that breaks the zod.object key and injects a computed key; evaluating it (= importing the module) writes the marker. Verified on 8.19.0.
Impact
JavaScript / OS command execution at import time for anyone who generates an orval zod client from an attacker-controlled spec and imports it.
Untrusted input is evaluated as executable code within the application's runtime environment. Typical impact: arbitrary code execution within the application's privilege context.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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See it in your environmentNew to Kodem? Get a demo →Remediation advice
Escape the query parameter name for the JS string key (JSON.stringify) in the zod.object key generation; never interpolate a raw name adjacent to [ ] in object-literal position. maintainer-report.txt make_spec.py reproduce.sh
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-71865? CVE-2026-71865 is a critical-severity code injection vulnerability in orval (npm), affecting versions < 8.21.0. It is fixed in 8.21.0. Untrusted input is evaluated as executable code within the application's runtime environment.
- Which versions of orval are affected by CVE-2026-71865? orval (npm) versions < 8.21.0 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-71865? Yes. CVE-2026-71865 is fixed in 8.21.0. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-71865 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-71865 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2026-71865 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2026-71865? Upgrade
orvalto 8.21.0 or later.