CVE-2025-27820: Httpclient5 Apache HttpClient Disables Domain Checks Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-73m2-qfq3-56cx
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CVSS 7.5
CWE-295
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2025-27820 is a HIGH (CVSS 7.5) apache httpclient disables domain checks vulnerability (CWE-295: Improper Certificate Validation) affecting Httpclient5 libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves apache httpclient disables domain checks. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 5.4.3.

CVE-2025-27820 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2025-27820
GHSA Identifier GHSA-73m2-qfq3-56cx
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 7.5
CWE Classification CWE-295: Improper Certificate Validation
Affected Product Httpclient5
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:H/A:N).

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 High (I:H)
Availability None (A:N)

How to Fix CVE-2025-27820

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Httpclient5 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.apache.httpcomponents.client5:httpclient5 fixed: 5.4.3 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.httpcomponents.client5</groupId>
    <artifactId>httpclient5</artifactId>
    <version>5.4.3</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.apache.httpcomponents.client5

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2025-27820, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.httpcomponents.client5

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Httpclient5 in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 5.4.3), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.httpcomponents.client5 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-295: Improper Certificate Validation, where the product does not validate, or incorrectly validates, a certificate. In Httpclient5, 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

A bug in PSL validation logic in Apache HttpClient 5.4.x disables domain checks, affecting cookie management and host name verification. Discovered by the Apache HttpClient team. Fixed in the 5.4.3 release.

CVE-2025-27820 Affected Httpclient5 Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
5.4.3
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
org.apache.httpcomponents.client5:httpclient5
maven/org.apache.httpcomponents.client5/httpclient5
Maven
≥ 5.4-alpha1
< 5.4.3
5.4.3

References

NVD — CVE-2025-27820 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-27820
Httpclient5 Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/apache/httpcomponents-client/pull/574
Httpclient5 Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/apache/httpcomponents-client/pull/621
Httpclient5 Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/apache/httpcomponents-client
hc.apache.org/httpcomponents-clie... WEB
https://hc.apache.org/httpcomponents-client-5.4.x/index.html
lists.apache.org/thread/55xhs40ncqv9... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread/55xhs40ncqv97qvoocok44995xp5kqn8
Httpclient5 Security Information SECURITY
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20250516-0003

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-27820?
CVE-2025-27820 is a security vulnerability in Httpclient5 involving Apache HttpClient disables domain checks under CWE-295: Improper Certificate Validation.
Which Httpclient5 versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 5.4.3 across affected packages: org.apache.httpcomponents.client5:httpclient5.
What version fixes CVE-2025-27820?
Upgrading to 5.4.3 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is httpclient5 affected?
Yes, org.apache.httpcomponents.client5:httpclient5 is affected in releases prior to 5.4.3. Upgrade your dependency to 5.4.3 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2025-27820?
CVE-2025-27820 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:H/A:N.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2025-27820?
CVE-2025-27820 is classified under CWE-295: Improper Certificate Validation (The product does not validate, or incorrectly validates, a certificate.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2025-27820?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.httpcomponents.client5'. 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-73m2-qfq3-56cx",
  "modified" : "2025-05-17T00:30:25Z",
  "published" : "2025-04-24T12:31:28Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2025-27820" ],
  "summary" : "Apache HttpClient disables domain checks",
  "details" : "A bug in PSL validation logic in Apache HttpClient 5.4.x disables domain checks, affecting cookie management and host name verification. Discovered by the Apache HttpClient team. Fixed in the 5.4.3 release.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.apache.httpcomponents.client5:httpclient5"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "5.4-alpha1"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "5.4.3"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-27820"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/apache/httpcomponents-client/pull/574"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/apache/httpcomponents-client/pull/621"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/apache/httpcomponents-client"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://hc.apache.org/httpcomponents-client-5.4.x/index.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread/55xhs40ncqv97qvoocok44995xp5kqn8"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20250516-0003"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-295" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2025-04-24T16:36:08Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2025-04-24T12:15:16Z"
  }
}