io.netty:netty-codec-http

CVE-2026-42585

CVE-2026-42585 is a medium-severity security vulnerability in io.netty:netty-codec-http (maven), affecting versions >= 4.2.0.Alpha1, <= 4.2.12.Final. It is fixed in 4.2.13.Final, 4.1.133.Final.

Key facts
CVSS score
6.5
Medium
Attack vector
Network
Issuing authority
GitHub Advisory Database
Affected package
io.netty:netty-codec-http
Fixed in
4.2.13.Final, 4.1.133.Final
Disclosed
2026

Summary

Summary Netty incorrectly parses malformed Transfer-Encoding, enabling request smuggling attacks. Details Netty incorrectly marks a request as chunked when malformed "Transfer-Encoding: chunked, identity" is present. According to RFC https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc9112#name-message-body-length " If a Transfer-Encoding header field is present in a request and the chunked transfer coding is not the final encoding, the message body length cannot be determined reliably; the server MUST respond with the 400 (Bad Request) status code and then close the connection. " A possible scenario is when Netty is behind a proxy that doesn't reject requests with "Transfer-Encoding: chunked, identity", but prefers "Content-Length" and forwards the content to Netty. PoC The test below shows Netty successfully parsing the second request, demonstrating how an attacker can smuggle a second request inside a request body. Impact HTTP Request Smuggling: Attacker injects arbitrary HTTP requests

Impact

Severity and exposure

CVE-2026-42585 has a CVSS score of 6.5 (Medium). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment.

A fixed version is available (4.2.13.Final, 4.1.133.Final). Upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Affected versions

maven

  • io.netty:netty-codec-http (>= 4.2.0.Alpha1, <= 4.2.12.Final)
  • io.netty:netty-codec-http (<= 4.1.132.Final)

Security releases

  • io.netty:netty-codec-http → 4.2.13.Final (maven)
  • io.netty:netty-codec-http → 4.1.133.Final (maven)
Kodem intelligence

Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.

Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter instead of chasing every advisory.

Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether CVE-2026-42585 is reachable in your applications. Explore open-source security for your team.

See if CVE-2026-42585 is reachable in your applications. Get a demo

Remediation advice

Upgrade the following packages to resolve this vulnerability:

  • Upgrade io.netty:netty-codec-http to 4.2.13.Final or later
  • Upgrade io.netty:netty-codec-http to 4.1.133.Final or later

Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.

Frequently asked questions about CVE-2026-42585

What is CVE-2026-42585?

CVE-2026-42585 is a medium-severity security vulnerability in io.netty:netty-codec-http (maven), affecting versions >= 4.2.0.Alpha1, <= 4.2.12.Final. It is fixed in 4.2.13.Final, 4.1.133.Final.

How severe is CVE-2026-42585?

CVE-2026-42585 has a CVSS score of 6.5 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.

Which versions of io.netty:netty-codec-http are affected by CVE-2026-42585?

io.netty:netty-codec-http (maven) versions >= 4.2.0.Alpha1, <= 4.2.12.Final is affected.

Is there a fix for CVE-2026-42585?

Yes. CVE-2026-42585 is fixed in 4.2.13.Final, 4.1.133.Final. Upgrade to this version or later.

Is CVE-2026-42585 exploitable, and should I be worried?

Whether CVE-2026-42585 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo

What actually determines whether CVE-2026-42585 is exploitable, and how bad it is?

Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.

How do I fix CVE-2026-42585?
  • Upgrade io.netty:netty-codec-http to 4.2.13.Final or later
  • Upgrade io.netty:netty-codec-http to 4.1.133.Final or later

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