GHSA-xr57-gcx8-52hf CVE-2026-85720
AsyncHttpClient sends origin credentials to the proxy on the plaintext CONNECT request
- Severity
- 5.9 / 10
- Medium · CVSS 3.1
- Exploit chance (EPSS)
- 0.27%
- Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days. Higher than 18.44% of scored vulnerabilities.
- Known exploited
- No
- Not in CISA's catalog
- Weakness
- CWE-319 Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information
- CWE-522 Insufficiently Protected Credentials
- Fix
3.0.12- Upgrade org.asynchttpclient:async-http-client to this version or later
Description
Impact
When a request uses an HTTP proxy to reach an HTTPS origin, the client opens the tunnel with a plaintext CONNECT sent to the proxy before any TLS exists. On affected versions the origin's preemptive credentials were added to that CONNECT. A Basic realm sent Authorization: Basic base64(user:pass) to the proxy in the clear, and NTLM, SPNEGO or Kerberos realms sent their token. The proxy, and anyone who can read the client to proxy hop, saw credentials that were meant only for the origin.
Affected versions
- 3.x: up to and including 3.0.11
- 2.x: up to and including 2.16.0
Patches
Fixed in 3.0.12 on the 3.x line and in 2.16.1 on the 2.x line. The origin Basic or Digest Authorization is no longer put on the CONNECT; it is added to the tunnelled request once the tunnel is up. The per-connection NTLM, Kerberos and SPNEGO token is likewise no longer attached on the tunnel path; it never reached the origin there in any case, and the challenge flow still negotiates it inside the tunnel.
Workarounds
Do not use preemptive origin authentication together with an HTTP proxy, or reach the origin without a CONNECT proxy.
Details
NettyRequestFactory added the origin Authorization to every request it built, including the CONNECT, and NettyRequestSender did the same for the per-connection NTLM or SPNEGO token in sendRequestWithNewChannel. Both now skip the CONNECT.
Note that 3.0.12 is itself affected by a separate issue, GHSA-rqf5-2wxv-rjf4, where a Digest challenge the client cannot read downgrades to Basic and sends the password in cleartext. Upgrade to 3.0.13 to pick up both fixes.
Affected versions
Maven
| Package | Vulnerable | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| org.asynchttpclient:async-http-client | >= 3.0.0, < 3.0.12 |
3.0.12 |
| org.asynchttpclient:async-http-client | >= 2.0.0, < 2.16.1 |
2.16.1 |
How to fix
Move to the fixed version or later with your package manager, update the lockfile, and run your tests. If the package only arrives through another dependency, upgrade that dependency first. If none of its releases pulls a fixed version yet, force the version with your package manager's override.
org.asynchttpclient:async-http-client Maven → 3.0.12
- maven
<dependency><groupId>org.asynchttpclient</groupId><artifactId>async-http-client</artifactId><version>3.0.12</version></dependency>- gradle
implementation("org.asynchttpclient:async-http-client:3.0.12")
Severity breakdown
CVSS 3.1 5.9
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- High
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- None
Weakness
CWE-319: Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information
The product transmits sensitive or security-critical data in cleartext in a communication channel that can be sniffed by unauthorized actors.
How to prevent it
- Architecture and Design: Before transmitting, encrypt the data using reliable, confidentiality-protecting cryptographic protocols.
- Implementation: When using web applications with SSL, use SSL for the entire session from login to logout, not just for the initial login page.
- Implementation: When designing hardware platforms, ensure that approved encryption algorithms (such as those recommended by NIST) protect paths from security critical data to trusted user applications.
- Testing: Use tools and techniques that require manual (human) analysis, such as penetration testing, threat modeling, and interactive tools that allow the tester to record and modify an active session. These may be more effective than strictly automated techniques. This is especially the case with weaknesses that are related to design and business rules.
- Operation: Configure servers to use encrypted channels for communication, which may include SSL or other secure protocols.
CWE-522: Insufficiently Protected Credentials
The product transmits or stores authentication credentials, but it uses an insecure method that is susceptible to unauthorized interception and/or retrieval.
How to prevent it
- Architecture and Design: Use an appropriate security mechanism to protect the credentials.
- Architecture and Design: Make appropriate use of cryptography to protect the credentials.
- Implementation: Use industry standards to protect the credentials (e.g. LDAP, keystore, etc.).
References
Packages
Other links
Timeline
- Published
- Last updated by the source
- Latest EPSS score
Related advisories
| Advisory | Severity | Why it's related |
|---|---|---|
| GHSA-p2jm-6hj6-9rjg AsyncHttpClient: Cookies received over plaintext HTTP can plant, overwrite or delete Secure cookies set over HTTPS | Medium | Also affects org.asynchttpclient:async-http-client |
| GHSA-3wp9-xfwm-rjjf AsyncHttpClient: WebSocket proxy credentials sent to the origin server over a CONNECT tunnel | Medium | Also affects org.asynchttpclient:async-http-client |
| GHSA-mfj3-87qq-382v AsyncHttpClient: Digest authentication cnonce generated with a non-cryptographic random source | Low | Also affects org.asynchttpclient:async-http-client |
| GHSA-jmqq-x5g9-9p2w AsyncHttpClient: Replay to a different host sends the original host request and credentials to the new host | Critical | Also affects org.asynchttpclient:async-http-client |
| GHSA-f9m8-cv68-674w AsyncHttpClient: Cookie Domain attribute is not checked against the public suffix list, so a cookie can be set for co.uk | Medium | Also affects org.asynchttpclient:async-http-client |
| GHSA-rqf5-2wxv-rjf4 AsyncHttpClient: Digest challenge without a usable nonce downgrades to Basic and sends the password in cleartext | High | Also affects org.asynchttpclient:async-http-client |
| GHSA-v2j5-22fr-j62r AsyncHttpClient: Pooled connections can still be shared across NTLM, Negotiate and proxy logins | High | Also affects org.asynchttpclient:async-http-client |
| GHSA-2jwh-9rmr-j4xf AsyncHttpClient CookieStore Silently Overrides Caller's Explicit Cookie Header via setHeader (Bypass of CVE-2024-53990 Fix) | Medium | Also affects org.asynchttpclient:async-http-client |
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