Summary
ReactPHP's HTTP server parses encoded cookie names so malicious Host- and Secure- cookies can be sent
Workarounds
Infrastructure or DevOps can place a reverse proxy in front of the ReactPHP HTTP server to filter out any unexpected Cookie request headers.
References
- CVE-2020-7070, https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=79699 and https://github.com/php/php-src/commit/6559fe912661ca5ce5f0eeeb591d928451428ed0
- CVE-2020-8184, https://hackerone.com/reports/895727 and https://github.com/rack/rack/commit/1f5763de6a9fe515ff84992b343d63c88104654c
- Originally introduced via https://github.com/reactphp/http/pull/175
Credits
- Thanks to Marco Squarcina (TU Wien) for reporting this and working with us to coordinate this security advisory
For more information
If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:
- Join the discussion
- Email us at [email protected]
Impact
In ReactPHP's HTTP server component versions below v1.7.0, when ReactPHP is processing incoming HTTP cookie values, the cookie names are url-decoded. This may lead to cookies with prefixes like __Host- and __Secure- confused with cookies that decode to such prefix, thus leading to an attacker being able to forge cookie which is supposed to be secure. See also CVE-2020-7070 and CVE-2020-8184 for more information.
The application does not adequately validate input before processing it, allowing unexpected values to reach sensitive code paths. Typical impact: varies by context: data corruption, logic bypass, or denial of service.
CVE-2022-36032 has a CVSS score of 5.3 (Medium). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (1.7.0); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
Already deployed Kodem?
See it in your environmentNew to Kodem? Get a demo →Remediation advice
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2022-36032? CVE-2022-36032 is a medium-severity improper input validation vulnerability in react/http (composer), affecting versions >= 0.7.0, < 1.7.0. It is fixed in 1.7.0. The application does not adequately validate input before processing it, allowing unexpected values to reach sensitive code paths.
- How severe is CVE-2022-36032? CVE-2022-36032 has a CVSS score of 5.3 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of react/http are affected by CVE-2022-36032? react/http (composer) versions >= 0.7.0, < 1.7.0 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2022-36032? Yes. CVE-2022-36032 is fixed in 1.7.0. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2022-36032 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2022-36032 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2022-36032 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2022-36032? Upgrade
react/httpto 1.7.0 or later.