httpc leaks Authorization header to cross-origin redirect targets
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- Passive
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Attack requirements
- None
- Impact type
- Spoofing
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · None · None
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-601.
Summary
Sensitive Data Exposure vulnerability in Erlang OTP inets (httpc_response module) allows Retrieve Embedded Sensitive Data. The httpc client forwards the Authorization and Proxy-Authorization request headers to redirect targets without checking whether the redirect crosses an origin boundary. httpc_response:redirect/2 constructs the redirected request by updating only the host field of the header record; all other fields (including authorization and proxy_authorization) are copied verbatim. The redirect target host is never compared against the original host. autoredirect defaults to true, so this affects all httpc callers that do not explicitly disable automatic redirects. An attacker who controls a server that the victim contacts via httpc can issue a cross-origin 3xx redirect to a server they also control. The Authorization header (including Basic credentials derived from URL userinfo via httpc_request:handle_user_info/2) is forwarded to the redirect target, allowing credential theft. The same applies to the Proxy-Authorization header. This vulnerability is associated with program files lib/inets/src/http_client/httpc_response.erl. This issue affects OTP from OTP 17.0 before OTP 27.3.4.19, OTP 28.5.0.8, and OTP 29.1.2, corresponding to inets from 5.10 before 9.3.2.8, 9.6.2.4, and 9.8.1. Whether OTP before OTP 17.0, corresponding to inets before 5.10, is affected is unknown.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erlang | OTP | 17.0 and later | — | No fix listed | CNA |
| Erlang | OTP | 5.10 and later | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- OTP VendorErlang Affected 17.0 and later Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
- OTP VendorErlang Affected 5.10 and later Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 2
Remediation
No fixed version listed by the sources yet.
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-48856
- 2026-10-16 Fix available: erlang/otp@f78fae9294886f95545a2212671282eda230def1 · CNA
- 2026-10-16 1 new reference · CNA
References
More Erlang/inets vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-23002 ScriptAlias CGI targets bypass directory auth in inets httpd (mod_auth vs mod_cgi path mismatch) CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.3
- TI-2026-36122 ftp client PASV response IP not validated against control peer, enabling SSRF and FTP bounce attacks CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 6.3
- TI-2026-19284 Request smuggling via first-wins Content-Length parsing in inets httpd CVSS 4.0HIGH 7.0
Sources
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences