Description: Prototype pollution in JavaScript refers to a vulnerability that allows an attacker to modify the prototype of an object, leading to unexpected behavior in the code. In JavaScript, objects inherit properties and methods from their prototypes, meaning any changes to the prototype will affect all objects inheriting from it. This feature, while powerful, can be exploited by an attacker to alter the behavior of web applications. For instance, if an attacker modifies the prototype of a native object like Array or Object, they can introduce methods or properties that shouldn’t be present, potentially resulting in the execution of malicious code or data manipulation. Prototype pollution can be hard to detect, as changes may appear legitimate and not always generate obvious errors. Therefore, it is crucial for developers to be aware of this vulnerability and take measures to protect their applications, such as avoiding modifications to native prototypes and employing defensive programming techniques.
