GHSA-v468-qcjx-r72w is a high-severity (CVSS 7.3) vulnerability in org.apache.httpcomponents.client5:httpclient5. O3 Security confirms whether GHSA-v468-qcjx-r72w is actually reachable in your code before you act, and blocks exploitation at runtime until you patch.
Apache HttpClient accepts SCRAM-SHA-256 authentication without proper mutual authentication verification
Real-World Exposure
org.apache.httpcomponents.client5:httpclient5Real-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
Missing critical step in authentication in Apache HttpClient 5.6 allows an attacker to cause the client to accept SCRAM-SHA-256 authentication without proper mutual authentication verification. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 5.6.1, which fixes this issue.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.apache.httpcomponents.client5:httpclient5 | ≥ 5.6-alpha1&&< 5.6.1 | 5.6.1 |
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.client5:httpclient5. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.
Fix
Update org.apache.httpcomponents.client5:httpclient5 to 5.6.1 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-v468-qcjx-r72w 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 pinpoints whether GHSA-v468-qcjx-r72w is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.
Tailored to GHSA-v468-qcjx-r72w. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-v468-qcjx-r72w in your dependencies?
O3 detects GHSA-v468-qcjx-r72w across Maven dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.