Applications are affected only if a schema renames keys with a regular-expression source and a Joi.expression() / Joi.x() target that interpolates the pattern's own match data, combined with { multiple: true }, for example .rename(/^x-(.+)$/, Joi.x('{#1}'), { multiple: true }). Because the target is rendered from the matched input key, an attacker who controls input keys can send x-__proto__ with an object value and make the rename target render as __proto__, which sets the prototype of the object joi returns instead of creating a key on it. The global Object.prototype is not modified, so the effect is confined to the object returned by that one validate() call.
Schemas using a static string rename target are not affected, and neither are schemas left on the default { multiple: false }.
Versions 17.13.5 and 18.2.4 have been released to address the issue.
__proto__, using a negative lookahead: .rename(/^x-(?!__proto__$)(.+)$/, Joi.x('{#1}'), { multiple: true }){
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-1321"
],
"github_reviewed": true,
"github_reviewed_at": "2026-09-08T20:51:21Z",
"nvd_published_at": "2026-09-01T21:18:47Z",
"severity": "LOW"
}