CVE-2026-84961: undici vulnerable to TLS certificate validation bypass via dropped connect options in BalancedPool
### Impact undici's `BalancedPool` passes its constructor options through a JSON-based deep clone (`JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(...))`) before forwarding them to each per-upstream `Pool`. JSON cannot represent functions, so a caller-supplied `connect` or `tls` option containing a `checkServerIdentity` callback (or a custom connector function) is silently dropped before it reaches the TLS layer. As a result, a TLS peer whose certificate a custom `checkServerIdentity` was written to reject, but which passes Node's default hostname and chain checks, is silently accepted when the request is made through `BalancedPool`. `Client`, `Pool`, `Agent`, and `RoundRobinPool` destructure `connect`/`tls` before the clone and are not affected. Only applications that use `BalancedPool` with a function-valued `connect`/`tls` option (such as a custom `checkServerIdentity` or connector) are affected. ### Patches Upgrade to `7.29.1` or `8.10.2`. `BalancedPool` now preserves the `connect` and `tls` options outside the JSON clone, so custom TLS verification callbacks are forwarded to each upstream unchanged. ### Workarounds Use `Client`, `Pool`, or `Agent` instead of `BalancedPool` for connections that rely on a custom `checkServerIdentity` or connector, until upgraded.
Recommended action
Recommended action
Upgrade affected packages to a patched version: undici 7.29.1, undici 8.10.2.
Technical details
- Vendor
- Not specified
- Product
- undici
- Exploitation
- none known
- Evidence
- official
Evidence and sources
This record is attributed to GitHub Advisories. Exploitation status and remediation guidance are kept separate from the vulnerability's technical severity.
Open primary source