CVE-2017-12165 : What You Need to Know

A vulnerability in Undertow versions earlier than 1.4.17, 1.3.31, and 2.0.0 allows for potential HTTP request smuggling due to the mishandling of whitespace characters in HTTP request headers.

Understanding CVE-2017-12165

Undertow, a web server component, is affected by a vulnerability that could be exploited for HTTP request smuggling.

What is CVE-2017-12165?

The vulnerability stems from Undertow's improper processing of whitespace characters in HTTP request headers, potentially leading to HTTP request smuggling.

The Impact of CVE-2017-12165

The vulnerability poses a low severity risk with a CVSS base score of 2.6. It requires user interaction and has a low impact on confidentiality and integrity.

Technical Details of CVE-2017-12165

Undertow's vulnerability details and impact.

Vulnerability Description

Undertow versions prior to 1.4.17, 1.3.31, and 2.0.0 mishandle whitespace characters in HTTP request headers, creating a potential avenue for HTTP request smuggling attacks.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Undertow
Vendor: Red Hat
Affected Versions: 1.4.17, 1.3.31, 2.0.0

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by manipulating whitespace characters in HTTP request headers to potentially smuggle malicious requests.

Mitigation and Prevention

Steps to mitigate and prevent exploitation of CVE-2017-12165.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Undertow to version 1.4.17, 1.3.31, or 2.0.0 to eliminate the vulnerability.
Monitor for any unusual HTTP request patterns that could indicate exploitation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch web server components to address known vulnerabilities.
Implement secure coding practices to prevent similar HTTP request manipulation vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches provided by Red Hat to address the vulnerability in Undertow.