React2Shell (CVE-2025-55182): A Wake-Up Call for Modern Web Security and How XBOW Helps You Respond

What happened earlier this week was a wake-up call in the security industry. React, one of the most trusted, widely adopted frameworks in the world, suddenly became the center of a critical incident.

The vulnerability known as React2Shell, assigned as CVE-2025-55182, enables remote code execution on the server with no authentication and no user interaction. A framework designed for rendering user interfaces can be abused to run arbitrary commands in backend environments and that was just the beginning as researchers unpacked the potential implications.

This isn’t just another CVE. This is a turning point.

The Moment Everything Shifted

React2Shell takes advantage of a subtle but dangerous issue in how React handles serialized messages between the client and the server, specifically through Server Components, Server Functions, and the Flight protocol. Under normal circumstances, these serialized payloads let React seamlessly move data and components between environments.

But with React2Shell, a specially crafted payload can cross a boundary no payload should ever cross: instead of being treated as data, it’s treated as executable code.

And because server-side React has spread into major frameworks like Next.js, Vite, Parcel, RedwoodSDK, Waku, and React Router’s RSC implementation, the vulnerability’s reach extended far beyond React itself.

How XBOW Helps Organizations Navigate React2Shell

As organizations work through urgent patch cycles, XBOW’s autonomous offensive security platform can be a critical tool for organizations trying to understand the full scope of their exposure.

XBOW provides what most teams lack in a moment like this: complete visibility into where and how exploitable the vulnerability is.

The XBOW autonomous offensive security platform can rapidly discover React2Shell and provide proof of exploitability at AI scale (unlike DAST tools which only detect vulnerabilities). In addition to proof of exploitability, XBOW evaluates the real attacker impact in each affected service, enabling teams to streamline their efforts to patch and mitigate the vulnerability today. 

With XBOW:

• Teams see exactly where React is running, which versions, and in which environments.
  
• Teams can trace dependency paths to identify whether React Server Components are in play, even indirectly.
  
• Vulnerable services are ranked by business risk, helping leaders prioritize what to fix first.
  
• Automated guidance helps developers understand how to patch safely, without introducing breaking changes.
  
• Continuous monitoring detects suspicious payloads or exploitation attempts long before they become breaches.
  

Beyond a Single Zero Day

React2Shell shows how foundational technologies can become unexpected attack vectors. XBOW strengthens organizations by finding additional zero days beyond the main vulnerability, giving organizations resilience for the next zero day that traditional scanners cannot detect.

React2Shell it’s not the first and won’t be the last time a foundational ecosystem component becomes an attack vector. However, with the right visibility and security posture, companies can stay ahead of attackers and don’t have to be caught off guard.