Prototype Pollution in Eclipse Theia

CVE-2026-14574

In Eclipse Theia versions 0.7.0 and up until including 1.73.1, the `PreferenceUtils.merge` function in `@theia/core` recursively merges preference values without rejecting prototype-related keys (`__proto__`, `constructor`, `prototype`). Because this function is invoked by `PreferenceServiceImpl.doResolve` for every preference resolution across scopes (default, user, workspace, folder), a crafted preference value in a workspace settings file (`.theia/settings.json` or `.vscode/settings.json`) can pollute `Object.prototype` when the user opens the workspace, potentially altering application logic across the Theia process.

Vulnerability class: Prototype Pollution

EPSS: 0.003 (23.3th percentile) — read the EPSS interpretation.

CVSS v3 metric

CVSS v3 base score 6.5 (Medium). Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N.

Affected products

Weakness classification (CWE)

References

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-14574?
CVE-2026-14574 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Eclipse Theia, classified under Improperly Controlled Modification of Object Prototype Attributes (Prototype Pollution). CVSS score: 6.5/10. Published 2026-08-05.
How severe is CVE-2026-14574?
Medium severity. CVSS v3 base score is 6.5 out of 10.