CVE-2014-3577 — httpclient
CVE-2014-3577 is a security vulnerability in org.apache.httpcomponents:httpclient. 2 public exploit references exist, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for org.apache.httpcomponents:httpclient — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Improper Verification of Cryptographic Signature in org.apache.httpcomponents:httpclient
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
Real-World Exposure
org.apache.httpcomponents:httpclientReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Maven packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
org.apache.http.conn.ssl.AbstractVerifier in Apache HttpComponents HttpClient before 4.3.5 and HttpAsyncClient before 4.0.2 does not properly verify that the server hostname matches a domain name in the subject's Common Name (CN) or subjectAltName field of the X.509 certificate, which allows man-in-the-middle attackers to spoof SSL servers via a "CN=" string in a field in the distinguished name (DN) of a certificate, as demonstrated by the "foo,CN=www.apache.org" string in the O field.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.apache.httpcomponents:httpclient | all versions | 4.3.5org.apache.httpcomponents:httpclient:4.3.5 |
Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.apache.httpcomponents:httpclient, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update org.apache.httpcomponents:httpclient to 4.3.5 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2014-3577 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like CVE-2014-3577 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to CVE-2014-3577. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Fixing This On Your OS
If you run this on a Linux distribution, patch through your package manager against the distro's own security advisory below — it tracks the exact backported fix for your release, which can ship on a different timeline (and sometimes a different severity) than the upstream project.
Additional information can be found in the Red Hat Knowledgebase article: https://access.redhat.com/solutions/1165533 This issue affects the versions of HttpComponents Client as shipped with Red Hat JBoss Data Grid 6 and Red Hat JBoss Data Virtualization 6; and ModeShape Client as shipped with Red Hat JBoss Data…
| Product | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|
| JBEWP 5 for RHEL 5 | jakarta-commons-httpclient-1:3.1-4_patch_02.ep5.el5 | RHSA-2014:1320 |
| JBEWP 5 for RHEL 5 | apache-cxf-0:2.2.12-14.patch_09.ep5.el5 | RHSA-2014:1833 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 | jakarta-commons-httpclient-1:3.0-7jpp.4.el5_10 | RHSA-2014:1166 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | httpcomponents-client-0:4.2.5-5.el7_0 | RHSA-2014:1146 |
| Red Hat JBoss A-MQ 6.2 | see advisory | RHSA-2016:1931 |
| Red Hat JBoss A-MQ 6.2 | see advisory | RHSA-2015:1177 |
| Red Hat JBoss BPMS 6.0 | jakarta-commons-httpclient | RHSA-2014:1892 |
| Red Hat JBoss BPMS 6.0 | httpclient | RHSA-2015:0234 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2014-3577 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds CVE-2014-3577 across Maven dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.