Summary
http4k: ServerFilters.DigestAuth / DigestAuthProvider defaulted to an always-true nonce verifier, disabling replay protection in default deployments
Workarounds
For deployments that cannot upgrade immediately: explicitly supply a nonceVerifier that tracks issued nonces, enforces a TTL, and rejects re-use. Do not rely on the default.
Impact
ServerFilters.DigestAuth and the underlying DigestAuthProvider both defaulted their nonceVerifier parameter to { true }, i.e. every nonce was accepted regardless of value, age, or prior use. Any deployment using the default configuration had no replay protection on Digest authentication; a captured Authorization: Digest … response could be replayed indefinitely against the same protected resource.
The nonce-verification mechanism in Digest auth is the primary anti-replay control, without it, Digest reduces to a credential bound only to a stale nonce string.
Who is affected: any application using ServerFilters.DigestAuth or DigestAuthProvider with the default nonceVerifier. The broken default has been present since DigestAuthProvider was introduced (2021). Exploitation requires the attacker to first capture a valid Digest response (network observation, log access, etc.), non-trivial in modern TLS deployments but not impossible. Anyone running Digest auth with default config should treat upgrade as urgent.
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.
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| Line | Fixed in | Edition |
|---|---|---|
| v6.x (Community) | 6.48.0.0 | Community |
| v5.x (LTS) | 5.42.0.0 | Enterprise, contact [email protected] (if Digest auth is present in your v5.x line) |
| v4.x (LTS) | 4.51.0.0 | Enterprise, contact [email protected] (if Digest auth is present in your v4.x line) |
The fix ([Break]) removes the default value for nonceVerifier from both ServerFilters.DigestAuth and DigestAuthProvider. Callers must now supply a real verifier explicitly, the broken default cannot be silently inherited.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is GHSA-C7JM-38GQ-H67H? GHSA-C7JM-38GQ-H67H is a medium-severity security vulnerability in org.http4k:http4k-security-digest (maven), affecting versions >= 6.0.0.0, < 6.48.0.0. It is fixed in 6.48.0.0, 5.42.0.0, 4.51.0.0.
- Which versions of org.http4k:http4k-security-digest are affected by GHSA-C7JM-38GQ-H67H? org.http4k:http4k-security-digest (maven) versions >= 6.0.0.0, < 6.48.0.0 is affected.
- Is there a fix for GHSA-C7JM-38GQ-H67H? Yes. GHSA-C7JM-38GQ-H67H is fixed in 6.48.0.0, 5.42.0.0, 4.51.0.0. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is GHSA-C7JM-38GQ-H67H exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-C7JM-38GQ-H67H 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 GHSA-C7JM-38GQ-H67H 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 GHSA-C7JM-38GQ-H67H?
- Upgrade
org.http4k:http4k-security-digestto 6.48.0.0 or later - Upgrade
org.http4k:http4k-security-digestto 5.42.0.0 or later - Upgrade
org.http4k:http4k-security-digestto 4.51.0.0 or later
- Upgrade