Netty (io.netty:netty-handler) versions from 4.2.0.Final through 4.2.16.Final and versions through 4.1.136.Final disable TLS hostname verification on the SslProvider.OPENSSL client path when a plain (non-extended) X509TrustManager is used and Unsafe-based trust-manager wrapping is unavailable (Java 25+). In this configuration the OpenSSL client does not perform hostname verification, allowing a man-in-the-middle attacker to present a certificate issued for a different hostname that is accepted without validation. Fixed in 4.2.17.Final and 4.1.137.Final.
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/netty-through-tls-hostname-verification-bypass
https://github.com/netty/netty/security/advisories/GHSA-p85m-gvr3-788c
Published: 2026-08-22
Updated: 2026-08-22
Base Score: 7.8
Vector: CVSS2#AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:N/A:N
Severity: High
Base Score: 7.5
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Severity: High
Base Score: 8.7
Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Severity: High
EPSS: 0.00252