CVE-2025-24970: Netty handler SslHandler Doesn't Correctly Validate Packets Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-4g8c-wm8x-jfhw
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CVSS 7.5
CWE-20
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2025-24970 is a HIGH (CVSS 7.5) sslhandler doesn't correctly validate packets vulnerability (CWE-20: Improper Input Validation) affecting Netty handler libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves sslhandler doesn't correctly validate packets which can lead to native crash when using native sslengine. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 4.1.118.Final.

CVE-2025-24970 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2025-24970
GHSA Identifier GHSA-4g8c-wm8x-jfhw
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 7.5
CWE Classification CWE-20: Improper Input Validation
Affected Product Netty handler
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 7.5

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality None (C:N)
Integrity None (I:N)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2025-24970

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Netty handler dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

io.netty:netty-handler fixed: 4.1.118.Final 
<dependency>
    <groupId>io.netty</groupId>
    <artifactId>netty-handler</artifactId>
    <version>4.1.118.Final</version>
</dependency>
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=io.netty

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2025-24970, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=io.netty

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Netty handler in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 4.1.118.Final), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=io.netty command inspects the resolved dependency graph declared in your project's POM files; it does not perform automated security scanning or inspect runtime dynamic classpaths. Always verify runtime container classpaths and shaded JARs.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-20: Improper Input Validation, where the product receives input or data, but it does not validate or incorrectly validates that the input has the properties that are required to process the data safely and correctly. In Netty handler, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

### Impact When a special crafted packet is received via SslHandler it doesn't correctly handle validation of such a packet in all cases which can lead to a native crash. ### Workarounds As workaround its possible to either disable the usage of the native SSLEngine or changing the code from: ``` SslContext context = ...; SslHandler handler = context.newHandler(....); ``` to: ``` SslContext context = ...; SSLEngine engine = context.newEngine(....); SslHandler handler = new SslHandler(engine, ....); ```

CVE-2025-24970 Affected Netty handler Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
4.1.118.Final
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
io.netty:netty-handler
maven/io.netty/netty-handler
Maven
≥ 4.1.91.Final
< 4.1.118.Final
4.1.118.Final

References

GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/netty/netty/security/advisories/GHSA-4g8c-wm8x-jfhw
NVD — CVE-2025-24970 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-24970
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/netty/netty/commit/87f40725155b2f89adfde68c7732f97c153676c4
Netty handler Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/netty/netty
Netty handler Security Information SECURITY
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20250221-0005
www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-... WEB
https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2025-24970-netty-vulnerability-detection
www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-... WEB
https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2025-24970-netty-vulnerability-mitigation

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-24970?
CVE-2025-24970 is a security vulnerability in Netty handler involving SslHandler doesn't correctly validate packets which can lead to native crash when using native SSLEngine under CWE-20: Improper Input Validation.
Which Netty handler versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 4.1.118.Final across affected packages: io.netty:netty-handler.
What version fixes CVE-2025-24970?
Upgrading to 4.1.118.Final (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is netty-handler affected?
Yes, io.netty:netty-handler is affected in releases prior to 4.1.118.Final. Upgrade your dependency to 4.1.118.Final or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2025-24970?
CVE-2025-24970 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2025-24970?
CVE-2025-24970 is classified under CWE-20: Improper Input Validation (The product receives input or data, but it does not validate or incorrectly validates that the input has the properties that are required to process the data safely and correctly.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2025-24970?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=io.netty'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-4g8c-wm8x-jfhw",
  "modified" : "2025-04-16T19:30:03Z",
  "published" : "2025-02-10T17:38:10Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2025-24970" ],
  "summary" : "SslHandler doesn't correctly validate packets which can lead to native crash when using native SSLEngine",
  "details" : "### Impact\nWhen a special crafted packet is received via SslHandler it doesn't correctly handle validation of such a packet in all cases which can lead to a native crash.\n\n### Workarounds\nAs workaround its possible to either disable the usage of the native SSLEngine or changing the code from:\n\n```\nSslContext context = ...;\nSslHandler handler = context.newHandler(....);\n```\n\nto:\n\n```\nSslContext context = ...;\nSSLEngine engine = context.newEngine(....);\nSslHandler handler = new SslHandler(engine, ....);\n```",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "io.netty:netty-handler"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "4.1.91.Final"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "4.1.118.Final"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 4.1.117.Final"
    }
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/netty/netty/security/advisories/GHSA-4g8c-wm8x-jfhw"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-24970"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/netty/netty/commit/87f40725155b2f89adfde68c7732f97c153676c4"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/netty/netty"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20250221-0005"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2025-24970-netty-vulnerability-detection"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2025-24970-netty-vulnerability-mitigation"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-20" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2025-02-10T17:38:10Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2025-02-10T22:15:38Z"
  }
}