[React2Shell] How to mitigate in React Native

[!IMPORTANT]
See this comment for the impact to React Native and steps to mitigate.

-@rickhanlonii

Description

A security vulnerability with React was disclosed (https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-55182). While trying to upgrade a RN 0.81.5 old arch app to React version 19.1.2, an error is thrown from ReactNativeRender.
For 0.81.5, ReactNativeRenderer is expecting React version 19.1.0.

While React Native apps are not susceptible to the vulnerability, many apps live in monorepos with NextJS (or other RSC powered apps).

I'm wondering if there's a recommendation on how best to proceed? Would it be possible to release patch versions of React Native that increment the supported/expected React version?

Thank you!

Steps to reproduce

1. npx @react-native-community/cli init --version 0.81.5
2. Turn off new arch (i.e. :new_arch_enabled => false in Podfile)
3. Update React version in generated app's package.json to 19.1.2
4. npm run start
5. npm run ios
6. see errors:

console.js:661 Error: Incompatible React versions: The "react" and "react-native-renderer" packages must have the exact same version. Instead got:
  - react:                  19.1.2
  - react-native-renderer:  19.1.0

React Native Version

0.81.5, 0.82.1

Affected Platforms

Runtime - iOS, Runtime - Android

Output of npx @react-native-community/cli info

N/A

Stacktrace or Logs

console.js:661 Error: Incompatible React versions: The "react" and "react-native-renderer" packages must have the exact same version. Instead got:
  - react:                  19.1.2
  - react-native-renderer:  19.1.0
Learn more: https://react.dev/warnings/version-mismatch
    at anonymous (ReactNativeRenderer-dev.js:16872:18)
    at anonymous (ReactNativeRenderer-dev.js:17081:4)
    at loadModuleImplementation (require.js:285:12)
    at guardedLoadModule (require.js:190:36)
    at metroRequire (require.js:98:24)
    at anonymous (ReactNative.js:19:24)
    at loadModuleImplementation (require.js:285:12)
    at guardedLoadModule (require.js:183:45)
    at metroRequire (require.js:98:24)
    at renderElement (RendererImplementation.js:49:12)
    at renderApplication (renderApplication.js:102:25)
    at anonymous (AppRegistryImpl.js:89:22)
    at runApplication (AppRegistryImpl.js:178:20)
    at apply (native)
    at __callFunction (MessageQueue.js:435:34)
    at anonymous (MessageQueue.js:114:26)
    at __guard (MessageQueue.js:369:11)
    at callFunctionReturnFlushedQueue (MessageQueue.js:113:17)
anonymous @ console.js:661
overrideMethod @ backend.js:17416
reactConsoleErrorHandler @ ExceptionsManager.js:184
anonymous @ setUpDeveloperTools.js:42
reportException @ ExceptionsManager.js:108
handleException @ ExceptionsManager.js:173
handleError @ setUpErrorHandling.js:25
reportFatalError @ error-guard.js:49
guardedLoadModule @ require.js:185
metroRequire @ require.js:98
renderElement @ RendererImplementation.js:49
renderApplication @ renderApplication.js:102
anonymous @ AppRegistryImpl.js:89
runApplication @ AppRegistryImpl.js:178
__callFunction @ MessageQueue.js:435
anonymous @ MessageQueue.js:114
__guard @ MessageQueue.js:369
callFunctionReturnFlushedQueue @ MessageQueue.js:113
console.js:661 TypeError: Cannot read property 'default' of undefined
    at renderElement (RendererImplementation.js:49:45)
    at renderApplication (renderApplication.js:102:25)
    at anonymous (AppRegistryImpl.js:89:22)
    at runApplication (AppRegistryImpl.js:178:20)
    at apply (native)
    at __callFunction (MessageQueue.js:435:34)
    at anonymous (MessageQueue.js:114:26)
    at __guard (MessageQueue.js:369:11)
    at callFunctionReturnFlushedQueue (MessageQueue.js:113:17)
anonymous @ console.js:661
overrideMethod @ backend.js:17416
reactConsoleErrorHandler @ ExceptionsManager.js:184
anonymous @ setUpDeveloperTools.js:42
reportException @ ExceptionsManager.js:108
handleException @ ExceptionsManager.js:173
handleError @ setUpErrorHandling.js:25
reportFatalError @ error-guard.js:49
__guard @ MessageQueue.js:371
callFunctionReturnFlushedQueue @ MessageQueue.js:113
console.js:661 Error: Incompatible React versions: The "react" and "react-native-renderer" packages must have the exact same version. Instead got:
  - react:                  19.1.2
  - react-native-renderer:  19.1.0
Learn more: https://react.dev/warnings/version-mismatch
    at anonymous (ReactNativeRenderer-dev.js:16872:18)
    at anonymous (ReactNativeRenderer-dev.js:17081:4)
    at loadModuleImplementation (require.js:285:12)
    at guardedLoadModule (require.js:190:36)
    at metroRequire (require.js:98:24)
    at anonymous (ReactNative.js:19:24)
    at loadModuleImplementation (require.js:285:12)
    at guardedLoadModule (require.js:183:45)
    at metroRequire (require.js:98:24)
    at renderElement (RendererImplementation.js:49:12)
    at renderApplication (renderApplication.js:102:25)
    at anonymous (AppRegistryImpl.js:89:22)
    at runApplication (AppRegistryImpl.js:178:20)
    at apply (native)
    at __callFunction (MessageQueue.js:435:34)
    at anonymous (MessageQueue.js:114:26)
    at __guard (MessageQueue.js:369:11)
    at callFunctionReturnFlushedQueue (MessageQueue.js:113:17)
anonymous @ console.js:661
overrideMethod @ backend.js:17416
reactConsoleErrorHandler @ ExceptionsManager.js:184
anonymous @ setUpDeveloperTools.js:42
reportException @ ExceptionsManager.js:108
handleException @ ExceptionsManager.js:173
handleError @ setUpErrorHandling.js:25
reportFatalError @ error-guard.js:49
guardedLoadModule @ require.js:185
metroRequire @ require.js:98
renderElement @ RendererImplementation.js:49
renderApplication @ renderApplication.js:102
anonymous @ AppRegistryImpl.js:89
runApplication @ AppRegistryImpl.js:178
__callFunction @ MessageQueue.js:435
anonymous @ MessageQueue.js:114
__guard @ MessageQueue.js:369
callFunctionReturnFlushedQueue @ MessageQueue.js:113
console.js:661 TypeError: Cannot read property 'default' of undefined
    at renderElement (RendererImplementation.js:49:45)
    at renderApplication (renderApplication.js:102:25)
    at anonymous (AppRegistryImpl.js:89:22)
    at runApplication (AppRegistryImpl.js:178:20)
    at apply (native)
    at __callFunction (MessageQueue.js:435:34)
    at anonymous (MessageQueue.js:114:26)
    at __guard (MessageQueue.js:369:11)
    at callFunctionReturnFlushedQueue (MessageQueue.js:113:17)
anonymous @ console.js:661
overrideMethod @ backend.js:17416
reactConsoleErrorHandler @ ExceptionsManager.js:184
anonymous @ setUpDeveloperTools.js:42
reportException @ ExceptionsManager.js:108
handleException @ ExceptionsManager.js:173
handleError @ setUpErrorHandling.js:25
reportFatalError @ error-guard.js:49
__guard @ MessageQueue.js:371
callFunctionReturnFlushedQueue @ MessageQueue.js:113

MANDATORY Reproducer

N/A

Screenshots and Videos

Start with the ReactNativeRenderer-prod.js lines 10606-10611 and the ReactNativeRenderer-dev.js stacktrace, then review the 0.81.5 and 0.82.1 version behavior with the Podfile and generated app package.json. Reproduce the mismatch using the listed CLI, Metro, and iOS steps; the issue needs a maintainer-approved mitigation or release recommendation before completion can be defined.