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Http4S CVE-2021-32643

MEDIUM
Path Traversal (CWE-22)
2021-05-27 security-advisories@github.com
5.8
CVSS 3.1 · NVD
View

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A01:2025 - Broken Access Control
ASVS 5.0
V5 - File Handling Path canonicalization, traversal prevention
MITRE ATT&CK

2 techniques across 2 tactics: Discovery, Collection

The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up.

Impact

CVSS score of 5.8 (MEDIUM). Attack characteristics: network attack vector, low complexity, no privileges required, no user interaction not required.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

A remote attacker could access files and directories outside the intended path by sending crafted requests to the affected application. No authentication is required to exploit this vulnerability.

This Month Plan within 30 days. Why: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9).
Patch available 1.4% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAI

Http4s is a Scala interface for HTTP services. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.8), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. This Path Traversal vulnerability could allow attackers to access files and directories outside the intended path.

RemediationAI

A vendor patch is available. Apply the latest security update as soon as possible. Validate and canonicalize file paths. Use chroot or sandboxing. Reject input containing path separators or '../' sequences.

Affected Packages

maven org.http4s:http4s-core fix: 0.21.24, 0.22.0-RC1, 0.23.0-RC1, 1.0.0-M23

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 1 package in maven

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

This vulnerability is classified as Path Traversal (CWE-22), which allows attackers to access files and directories outside the intended path. Http4s is a Scala interface for HTTP services. StaticFile.fromUrl can leak the presence of a directory on a server when the URL scheme is not file://, and the URL points to a fetchable resource under its scheme and authority. The function returns F[None], indicating no resource, if url.getFile is a directory, without first checking the scheme or authority of the URL. If a URL connection to the scheme and URL would return a stream, and the path in the URL exists as a directory on the server, the presence of the directory on the server could be inferred from the 404 response. The contents and other metadata about the directory are not exposed. This affects http4s versions: 0.21.7 through 0.21.23, 0.22.0-M1 through 0.22.0-M8, 0.23.0-M1, and 1.0.0-M1 through 1.0.0-M22. The patch is available in the following versions: v0.21.24, v0.22.0-M9, v0.23.0-M2, v1.0.0-M23. As a workaround users can avoid calling StaticFile.fromUrl with non-file URLs. Affected products include: Typelevel Http4S. Version information: through 0.21.23.

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  • Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources

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Severity by source

NVD PRIMARY 5.8 MEDIUM
AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:N/A:N

Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.

CVSS VectorNVD

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
None
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
None
Availability
None

DescriptionNVD

Http4s is a Scala interface for HTTP services. StaticFile.fromUrl can leak the presence of a directory on a server when the URL scheme is not file://, and the URL points to a fetchable resource under its scheme and authority. The function returns F[None], indicating no resource, if url.getFile is a directory, without first checking the scheme or authority of the URL. If a URL connection to the scheme and URL would return a stream, and the path in the URL exists as a directory on the server, the presence of the directory on the server could be inferred from the 404 response. The contents and other metadata about the directory are not exposed. This affects http4s versions: 0.21.7 through 0.21.23, 0.22.0-M1 through 0.22.0-M8, 0.23.0-M1, and 1.0.0-M1 through 1.0.0-M22. The patch is available in the following versions: v0.21.24, v0.22.0-M9, v0.23.0-M2, v1.0.0-M23. As a workaround users can avoid calling StaticFile.fromUrl with non-file URLs.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
1.4%
Top 31% exploitable
Data Quality
3 sources
Confidence: Low

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity MEDIUM
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 1.4%
Patch available Yes
Active threat No
Deciding rule
MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision· derived
Scheduled
Exploitation· derived
None
System Exposure· derived
Open
Automatable· derived
Yes
Human Impact· derived
Medium

Priority Score

30
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: +1
CVSS: +29
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Path traversal exploits occur when applications use user-controlled input to construct file system paths without proper validation.

Affected Products (CPE)NVD

cpe:2.3:a:typelevel:http4s:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:typelevel:http4s:0.22.0:milestone1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:typelevel:http4s:0.22.0:milestone2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:typelevel:http4s:0.22.0:milestone3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:typelevel:http4s:0.22.0:milestone4:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:typelevel:http4s:0.22.0:milestone5:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:typelevel:http4s:0.22.0:milestone6:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:typelevel:http4s:0.22.0:milestone7:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:typelevel:http4s:0.22.0:milestone8:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:typelevel:http4s:0.23.0:milestone1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:typelevel:http4s:1.0.0:milestone1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:typelevel:http4s:1.0.0:milestone10:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:typelevel:http4s:1.0.0:milestone11:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:typelevel:http4s:1.0.0:milestone12:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:typelevel:http4s:1.0.0:milestone13:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:typelevel:http4s:1.0.0:milestone14:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:typelevel:http4s:1.0.0:milestone15:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:typelevel:http4s:1.0.0:milestone16:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:typelevel:http4s:1.0.0:milestone17:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:typelevel:http4s:1.0.0:milestone18:*:*:*:*:*:*
+ 12 more

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