GHSA-94PJ-82F3-465W

Guzzle: Proxy-Authorization headers can be sent to origin servers

In affected versions, the built-in cURL handlers (CurlHandler and CurlMultiHandler) put every first-class request header in cURL's origin header list (CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER). These handlers are the default when the PHP cURL extension is available. They move Proxy-Authorization to the proxy-only list (CURLOPT_PROXYHEADER) only when Guzzle predicts an HTTP or HTTPS proxy. A "first-class" header is part of the normal request message and can be set on a PSR-7 request, through client headers defaults, the headers request option, or middleware. It does not include a literal line supplied through raw CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, CURLOPT_PROXYHEADER, or stream_context.http.header controls.

Because that migration follows Guzzle's prediction rather than the route libcurl actually takes, the credential stays in the origin list and is sent to the origin server when a request is:

• direct, including proxy set to '' to disable proxying.
• bypassed by a no, no_proxy, or NO_PROXY match.
• sent through a SOCKS proxy, which does not use the HTTP proxy header channel.
• redirected from a safely proxied hop into any of those routes: redirect middleware re-evaluates the proxy per hop but, unlike Authorization and Cookie, does not strip Proxy-Authorization cross-origin.

On installations whose libcurl is older than 7.37.0, or whose PHP cURL extension lacks CURLOPT_PROXYHEADER, CURLOPT_HEADEROPT, and CURLHEADER_SEPARATE, no proxy-only channel is available, so cURL left the header in the origin list for every route. The stream handler also serialized first-class values before selecting a proxy. PHP removes only the first Proxy-Authorization line from CONNECT, so another first-class value or a URL-userinfo Basic line could reach the tunneled origin. A later raw stream_context.http.proxy override could instead reroute either credential directly to the origin.

The disclosed value is a private credential meant only for the proxy. RFC 9110 defines Proxy-Authorization as credentials for the next inbound proxy, and an origin is never an intended recipient. The flaw can silently give a working proxy credential to an unrelated third party. In the worst case, an attacker controls the origin and records the credential through access logs, tracing systems, or application logs. If it remains valid, the attacker can abuse a paid or access-controlled proxy, impersonate the proxy principal, or reach destinations the proxy is trusted to reach. A strong remote exploit is possible when an application sends a request to an attacker-controlled HTTP URL through a proxy with a default Proxy-Authorization header, then follows the attacker's redirect to an HTTPS or no-proxy destination that Guzzle reaches directly.

Using a first-class Proxy-Authorization header is a legitimate, documented configuration, so affected applications are not misusing the library. Guzzle does not create this field, so applications that never configure one are unaffected by the first-class-header flaw. Proxy URL userinfo is not affected on its own, but the stream handler could expose its Basic line when combined with a first-class field or a later raw stream_context.http.proxy override. CURLOPT_PROXYUSERPWD is unaffected. Literal lines supplied through raw CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, CURLOPT_PROXYHEADER, or stream_context.http.header remain caller-controlled and outside the first-class-header guarantee.

GHSA-94PJ-82F3-465W 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 (7.14.2); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

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The issue is fixed in 7.14.2. The cURL handlers keep first-class Proxy-Authorization values out of the origin header list. When proxy header separation is available, they pass the values through CURLOPT_PROXYHEADER with CURLHEADER_SEPARATE. An empty value uses cURL's semicolon form to suppress credentials from proxy URL userinfo. On older builds, Guzzle drops the field for direct, bypassed, and SOCKS routes, but fails before network I/O if the request might use an HTTP or HTTPS proxy.

The stream handler removes the field from origin headers before choosing a route. If it selects a proxy, it accepts one value, including empty, writes a validated proxy header, and gives that value precedence over proxy URL userinfo. Multiple values, line breaks, and raw proxy overrides that could reroute generated credentials fail before connection. Direct and bypassed requests drop the field. Versions before 7.14.2 are affected by these origin-bound credential paths.

1. What is GHSA-94PJ-82F3-465W? GHSA-94PJ-82F3-465W is a medium-severity security vulnerability in guzzlehttp/guzzle (composer), affecting versions < 7.14.2. It is fixed in 7.14.2.
2. How severe is GHSA-94PJ-82F3-465W? GHSA-94PJ-82F3-465W 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.
3. Which versions of guzzlehttp/guzzle are affected by GHSA-94PJ-82F3-465W? guzzlehttp/guzzle (composer) versions < 7.14.2 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for GHSA-94PJ-82F3-465W? Yes. GHSA-94PJ-82F3-465W is fixed in 7.14.2. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is GHSA-94PJ-82F3-465W exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-94PJ-82F3-465W 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
6. What actually determines whether GHSA-94PJ-82F3-465W 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.
7. How do I fix GHSA-94PJ-82F3-465W? Upgrade guzzlehttp/guzzle to 7.14.2 or later.

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