Qs is a popular npm package providing robust querystring parsing capabilities, crucial for handling URL parameters and data in web applications. Versions 6.10.1 and 6.10.0 share the same core functionality: parsing nested objects and arrays within querystrings, all while respecting a configurable depth limit. Both utilize the "side-channel" dependency and list an identical suite of development dependencies for testing, linting, and documentation purposes, including tools like nyc for coverage, eslint for code style, and tape for unit testing.
The key difference lies in the internal implementation and bug fixes reflected in the change from 6.10.0 to 6.10.1. While the developer-facing API likely remains consistent, the newer version includes under-the-hood improvements. Observing the unpackedSize difference (204351 bytes vs 203463 bytes) suggests that bug fixes, performance optimizations, or minor feature adjustments have been implemented with the new release.
For developers, choosing the later version, 6.10.1, is generally recommended. A newer version usually means a more stable and secure code base. Before upgrading production applications, carefully check the changelog or release notes for any breaking changes or deprecations, although this minor version bump typically focuses on resolves for potential underlying issues. Both versions are licensed under the BSD-3-Clause license, making them free to use in a wide range of projects. They are actively maintained by ljharb who accepts funding via GitHub sponsors.
All the vulnerabilities related to the version 6.10.1 of the package
qs vulnerable to Prototype Pollution
qs before 6.10.3 allows attackers to cause a Node process hang because an __ proto__
key can be used. In many typical web framework use cases, an unauthenticated remote attacker can place the attack payload in the query string of the URL that is used to visit the application, such as a[__proto__]=b&a[__proto__]&a[length]=100000000
. The fix was backported to qs 6.9.7, 6.8.3, 6.7.3, 6.6.1, 6.5.3, 6.4.1, 6.3.3, and 6.2.4.