GHSA-pr33-38xx-6r26: http4k Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

MODERATE
Share
CWE-200
Published
Advisory Summary

GHSA-pr33-38xx-6r26 is a MODERATE remote code execution vulnerability (CWE-200: Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor) affecting http4k libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves basiccookiestorage` (renamed `insecurecookiestorage`) did not enforce rfc 6265 cookie scoping; new `defaultcookiestorage` is now the default. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 6.48.0.0, 5.42.0.0, 4.51.0.0.

GHSA-pr33-38xx-6r26 at a Glance

CVE Identifier N/A
GHSA Identifier GHSA-pr33-38xx-6r26
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score N/A
CWE Classification CWE-200: Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor
Affected Product http4k
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

How to Fix GHSA-pr33-38xx-6r26

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected http4k dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

org.http4k:http4k-core fixed: 6.48.0.0 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.http4k</groupId>
    <artifactId>http4k-core</artifactId>
    <version>6.48.0.0</version>
</dependency>
org.http4k:http4k-core fixed: 5.42.0.0 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.http4k</groupId>
    <artifactId>http4k-core</artifactId>
    <version>5.42.0.0</version>
</dependency>
org.http4k:http4k-core fixed: 4.51.0.0 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.http4k</groupId>
    <artifactId>http4k-core</artifactId>
    <version>4.51.0.0</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=org.http4k

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by GHSA-pr33-38xx-6r26, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.http4k

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of http4k in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 6.48.0.0), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.http4k 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-200: Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor, where the product exposes sensitive information to an actor that is not explicitly authorized to have access to that information. In http4k, 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 The previous `BasicCookieStorage` did not enforce RFC 6265 scoping rules around cookie domain, path, and `Secure` attribute. A client using a single storage instance to talk to multiple origins could have cookies leak across domains, or have `Secure` cookies sent over plain HTTP — the deprecation message states it bluntly: *"BasicCookieStorage has no domain/path/scheme scoping and leaks cookies across origins. Use DefaultCookieStorage instead."* **Who is affected:** any client using `BasicCookieStorage` directly with cookies for more than one origin or scheme. Single-origin uses are unaffected. ### Patches | Line | Fixed in | Edition | |------|----------|---------| | v6.x (Community) | **6.48.0.0** | Community | | v5.x (LTS) | **5.42.0.0** | Enterprise — contact [enterprise@http4k.org](mailto:enterprise@http4k.org) | | v4.x (LTS) | **4.51.0.0** | Enterprise — contact [enterprise@http4k.org](mailto:enterprise@http4k.org) | The fix introduces `DefaultCookieStorage` (RFC 6265 compliant) as the drop-in default; `BasicCookieStorage` is renamed `InsecureCookieStorage` and remains available for callers with a deliberate need for the old behaviour. ### Workarounds For deployments that cannot upgrade immediately: - Use a dedicated `BasicCookieStorage` instance per origin / scheme, or - Switch to a separate RFC 6265-compliant cookie store implementation. ### References - Fix release: [v6.48.0.0](https://github.com/http4k/http4k/releases/tag/6.48.0.0) - Cookie storage rewrite: [`6a9b44d743`](https://github.com/http4k/http4k/commit/6a9b44d743) - Background: [RFC 6265 — HTTP State Management Mechanism](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc6265)

GHSA-pr33-38xx-6r26 Affected http4k Versions

3 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
6.48.0.05.42.0.04.51.0.0
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
org.http4k:http4k-core
maven/org.http4k/http4k-core
Maven
≥ 6.0.0.0
< 6.48.0.0
6.48.0.0
org.http4k:http4k-core
maven/org.http4k/http4k-core
Maven
≥ 5.0.0.0
< 5.42.0.0
5.42.0.0
org.http4k:http4k-core
maven/org.http4k/http4k-core
Maven
< 4.51.0.0
4.51.0.0

References

GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/http4k/http4k/security/advisories/GHSA-pr33-38xx-6r26
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/http4k/http4k/commit/6a9b44d743
datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc6265 WEB
https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc6265
http4k Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/http4k/http4k
http4k Release RELEASE
https://github.com/http4k/http4k/releases/tag/6.48.0.0

Frequently Asked Questions

What is GHSA-pr33-38xx-6r26?
GHSA-pr33-38xx-6r26 is a security vulnerability in http4k involving BasicCookieStorage` (renamed `InsecureCookieStorage`) did not enforce RFC 6265 cookie scoping; new `DefaultCookieStorage` is now the default under CWE-200: Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor.
Which http4k versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 6.48.0.0, 5.42.0.0, 4.51.0.0 across affected packages: org.http4k:http4k-core.
What version fixes GHSA-pr33-38xx-6r26?
Upgrading to 6.48.0.0, 5.42.0.0, 4.51.0.0 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is http4k-core affected?
Yes, org.http4k:http4k-core is affected in releases prior to 6.48.0.0, 5.42.0.0, 4.51.0.0. Upgrade your dependency to 6.48.0.0, 5.42.0.0, 4.51.0.0 or later.
What CWE is associated with GHSA-pr33-38xx-6r26?
GHSA-pr33-38xx-6r26 is classified under CWE-200: Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor (The product exposes sensitive information to an actor that is not explicitly authorized to have access to that information.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for GHSA-pr33-38xx-6r26?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.http4k'. 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-pr33-38xx-6r26",
  "modified" : "2026-06-19T21:16:07Z",
  "published" : "2026-06-19T21:16:07Z",
  "aliases" : [ ],
  "summary" : "http4k: BasicCookieStorage` (renamed `InsecureCookieStorage`) did not enforce RFC 6265 cookie scoping; new `DefaultCookieStorage` is now the default",
  "details" : "### Impact\n\nThe previous `BasicCookieStorage` did not enforce RFC 6265 scoping rules around cookie domain, path, and `Secure` attribute. A client using a single storage instance to talk to multiple origins could have cookies leak across domains, or have `Secure` cookies sent over plain HTTP — the deprecation message states it bluntly: *\"BasicCookieStorage has no domain/path/scheme scoping and leaks cookies across origins. Use DefaultCookieStorage instead.\"*\n\n**Who is affected:** any client using `BasicCookieStorage` directly with cookies for more than one origin or scheme. Single-origin uses are unaffected.\n\n### Patches\n\n| Line | Fixed in | Edition |\n|------|----------|---------|\n| v6.x (Community) | **6.48.0.0** | Community |\n| v5.x (LTS) | **5.42.0.0** | Enterprise — contact [enterprise@http4k.org](mailto:enterprise@http4k.org) |\n| v4.x (LTS) | **4.51.0.0** | Enterprise — contact [enterprise@http4k.org](mailto:enterprise@http4k.org) |\n\nThe fix introduces `DefaultCookieStorage` (RFC 6265 compliant) as the drop-in default; `BasicCookieStorage` is renamed `InsecureCookieStorage` and remains available for callers with a deliberate need for the old behaviour.\n\n### Workarounds\n\nFor deployments that cannot upgrade immediately:\n- Use a dedicated `BasicCookieStorage` instance per origin / scheme, or\n- Switch to a separate RFC 6265-compliant cookie store implementation.\n\n### References\n\n- Fix release: [v6.48.0.0](https://github.com/http4k/http4k/releases/tag/6.48.0.0)\n- Cookie storage rewrite: [`6a9b44d743`](https://github.com/http4k/http4k/commit/6a9b44d743)\n- Background: [RFC 6265 — HTTP State Management Mechanism](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc6265)",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.http4k:http4k-core"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "6.0.0.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "6.48.0.0"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.http4k:http4k-core"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "5.0.0.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "5.42.0.0"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.http4k:http4k-core"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "4.51.0.0"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/http4k/http4k/security/advisories/GHSA-pr33-38xx-6r26"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/http4k/http4k/commit/6a9b44d743"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc6265"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/http4k/http4k"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/http4k/http4k/releases/tag/6.48.0.0"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-200" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-06-19T21:16:07Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : null
  }
}