CVE-2026-42581
What it is
Netty is an asynchronous, event-driven network application framework. Prior to 4.2.13.Final and 4.1.133.Final, HttpObjectDecoder strips a conflicting Content-Length header when a request carries both Transfer-Encoding: chunked and Content-Length, but only for HTTP/1.1 messages. The guard is absent for HTTP/1.0. An attacker that sends an HTTP/1.0 request with both headers causes Netty to decode the body as chunked while leaving Content-Length intact in the forwarded HttpMessage. Any downstream proxy or handler that trusts Content-Length over Transfer-Encoding will disagree on message boundaries, enabling request smuggling. This vulnerability is fixed in 4.2.13.Final and 4.1.133.Final.
At a glance
- Exploitability
- Can be exploited over the network without logging in. Limited direct impact.
- Exploit odds
- 0.6% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days (EPSS).
- Fix
- A patch, advisory or fixed version is referenced. Upgrade or apply it.
Timeline
- PublishedDisclosed publicly on CVE.org and NVD
- Last updatedMost recent change to the record
Why it ranks here
- Exploited in the wild: no, CISA does not list it.
- Exploit odds: 0.6% in the next 30 days (EPSS).
- Severity: 5.8 MEDIUM (CVSS).
- Fix: a patch or advisory is linked.
Details
- Published
- Last modified
- Exploit probability
- 0.6% · EPSS, next 30 days
- Weakness
- CWE-444
- Record status
- Modified
Affected
- Netty < 4.1.133
- Netty < 4.2.13
Attack profile CVSS 3.1 · 5.8
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Changed
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- Low
- Availability
- None
Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:N
Is it in your code?
Hand this to your coding agent. It searches your project for the affected products and checks versions. Nothing leaves your machine.
Read https://cve-list.com/agent/cve/CVE-2026-42581.md and follow it. Check whether this project is affected by CVE-2026-42581. Read only. Don't change anything and don't upload my code. Tell me yes, no or not sure, with the file as proof.
Fix and advisories
- https://github.com/netty/netty/security/advisories/GHSA-xxqh-mfjm-7mv9
- https://github.com/netty/netty/security/advisories/GHSA-xxqh-mfjm-7mv9
References
- https://github.com/netty/netty/security/advisories/GHSA-xxqh-mfjm-7mv9
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:23808
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:24502
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:25123
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:28010
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:36820
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:37390
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:42644
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:49700
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:49701
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:53644
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:53645
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:53646
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:54435
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:65126
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:66488
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:66545
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-42581
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2477232
- https://github.com/netty/netty/security/advisories/GHSA-xxqh-mfjm-7mv9
- https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-42581.json