Envoy client may fake the header `x-envoy-original-path`
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · None
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 1 fixed, 1 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
Envoy is an open source edge and service proxy designed for cloud-native applications. Prior to versions 1.26.0, 1.25.3, 1.24.4, 1.23.6, and 1.22.9, the client may bypass JSON Web Token (JWT) checks and forge fake original paths. The header `x-envoy-original-path` should be an internal header, but Envoy does not remove this header from the request at the beginning of request processing when it is sent from an untrusted client. The faked header would then be used for trace logs and grpc logs, as well as used in the URL used for `jwt_authn` checks if the `jwt_authn` filter is used, and any other upstream use of the x-envoy-original-path header. Attackers may forge a trusted `x-envoy-original-path` header. Versions 1.26.0, 1.25.3, 1.24.4, 1.23.6, and 1.22.9 have patches for this issue.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- Poc
- Automatable
- Yes
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| envoyproxy | envoy | 1.25.0 to before 1.25.3; 1.24.0 to before 1.24.4; 1.23.0 to before 1.23.6; before 1.22.9 | 1.25.3, 1.24.4, 1.23.6, 1.22.9 | Patch available | CNA |
- envoy Vendorenvoyproxy Affected 1.25.0 to before 1.25.3; 1.24.0 to before 1.24.4; 1.23.0 to before 1.23.6; before 1.22.9 Fixed in 1.25.3, 1.24.4, 1.23.6, 1.22.9 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:envoyproxy:envoy:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | before 1.22.9; 1.23.0 to before 1.23.6; 1.24.0 to before 1.24.4; 1.25.0 to before 1.25.3 | Vulnerable | envoyproxy |
- cpe:2.3:a:envoyproxy:envoy:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 1.22.9; 1.23.0 to before 1.23.6; 1.24.0 to before 1.24.4; 1.25.0 to before 1.25.3 Vulnerable ·envoyproxy
Remediation
- Fix · CNA envoy (envoyproxy) Fixed in 1.25.3, 1.24.4, 1.23.6, 1.22.9
Red Hat 1 advisory
- RHSA-2023:4623 Released 2023-08-11 · Red Hat rating ImportantRed Hat OpenShift Service Mesh 2.2.9 security update
- RHOSSM 2.2 for RHEL 8 openshift-service-mesh/proxyv2-rhel8
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Important. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| OpenShift Service Mesh 2.1 | Affected | No fix yet |
| RHOSSM 2.2 for RHEL 8 | Fixed | RHSA-2023:4623 |
Not affected: 1 product
- RHOSSM 2.2 for RHEL 8
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2023-27487
- 2026-10-25 EPSS moved to the 50th–90th percentile
References
More envoyproxy Envoy vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-79288 Out-of-bounds write in Google Brotli decoder KEVCVSS 4.0CRITICAL 9.2
- TI-2023-23979 The HTTP/2 protocol allows a denial of service (server resource consumption) because… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2024-20001 HTTP/2: CPU exhaustion due to CONTINUATION frame flood CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2024-18524 HTTP/2: memory exhaustion due to CONTINUATION frame flood CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2023-18002 Envoy vulnerable to OAuth2 credentials exploit with permanent validity CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2023-12221 Envoy doesn't escape HTTP header values CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.1
Sources
- CVE-2023-27487 · CVE Program
- CVE-2023-27487 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- CVE-2023-27487 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences