http4k: BasicCookieStorage` (renamed `InsecureCookieStorage`) did not enforce RFC 6265 cookie scoping; new `DefaultCookieStorage` is now the defaultGHSA-pr33-38xx-6r26
Fix: http4k/http4k@6a9b44dGHSA-pr33-38xx-6r26 is a Information Exposure vulnerability in org.http4k:http4k-core. A fix is available for org.http4k:http4k-core — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Exploitation Status
No confirmed exploitation observed yet
- CISA’s own triage has not observed active exploitation or public proof-of-concept code for this CVE as of its last assessment.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for GHSA-pr33-38xx-6r26.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.
Real-World Exposure
org.http4k:http4k-core☕org.http4k:http4k-core☕org.http4k:http4k-coreReal-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
Impact
The previous BasicCookieStorage did not enforce RFC 6265 scoping rules around cookie domain, path, and Secure attribute. A client using a single storage instance to talk to multiple origins could have cookies leak across domains, or have Secure cookies sent over plain HTTP — the deprecation message states it bluntly: "BasicCookieStorage has no domain/path/scheme scoping and leaks cookies across origins. Use DefaultCookieStorage instead."
Who is affected: any client using BasicCookieStorage directly with cookies for more than one origin or scheme. Single-origin uses are unaffected.
Patches
| Line | Fixed in | Edition |
|---|---|---|
| v6.x (Community) | 6.48.0.0 | Community |
| v5.x (LTS) | 5.42.0.0 | Enterprise — contact [email protected] |
| v4.x (LTS) | 4.51.0.0 | Enterprise — contact [email protected] |
The fix introduces DefaultCookieStorage (RFC 6265 compliant) as the drop-in default; BasicCookieStorage is renamed InsecureCookieStorage and remains available for callers with a deliberate need for the old behaviour.
Workarounds
For deployments that cannot upgrade immediately:
- Use a dedicated
BasicCookieStorageinstance per origin / scheme, or - Switch to a separate RFC 6265-compliant cookie store implementation.
References
- Fix release: v6.48.0.0
- Cookie storage rewrite:
6a9b44d743 - Background: RFC 6265 — HTTP State Management Mechanism
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.http4k:http4k-core | ≥ 6.0.0.0&&< 6.48.0.0 | 6.48.0.0org.http4k:http4k-core:6.48.0.0 |
| ☕Maven | org.http4k:http4k-core | ≥ 5.0.0.0&&< 5.42.0.0 | 5.42.0.0org.http4k:http4k-core:5.42.0.0 |
| ☕Maven | org.http4k:http4k-core | all versions | 4.51.0.0org.http4k:http4k-core:4.51.0.0 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.http4k:http4k-core, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update org.http4k:http4k-core to 6.48.0.0 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-pr33-38xx-6r26 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
Assume what was exposed is already known: rotate any credential, token or key that the affected component could return, restrict the endpoint to callers that genuinely need it, and strip sensitive fields from responses and error output at the boundary rather than relying on the client not to read them.
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.
http4k-core versions before 4.51.0.0, 5.42.0.0, and 6.48.0.0 do not enforce cookie domain, path, and Secure scoping. Applications sharing cookie storage across origins or schemes may disclose session tokens or credentials; single-origin storage is unaffected.
Upgrade to http4k-core 4.51.0.0, 5.42.0.0, 6.48.0.0, or later on the corresponding release branch. If upgrading is not possible, do not share BasicCookieStorage across origins or HTTP/HTTPS schemes; use separate storage per origin.Source: Red Hat security advisory for GHSA-pr33-38xx-6r26 (CC BY 4.0)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-pr33-38xx-6r26 in your dependencies?
Find it across Maven, including transitive dependencies.