GHSA-vxxm-wwqh-mh47: Medium severity maven/org.http4k:http4k-security-digest vulnerability
Impact
An issue in DigestAuthProvider.verify:
Algorithm silently forced to MD5. The configured algorithm parameter was ignored — every verification used MD5 regardless of configuration. Deployments believing they were running SHA-256 Digest auth were silently inheriting MD5's collision weaknesses, including documented attack paths against Digest schemes that rely on the hash being collision-resistant.
Who is affected: any application using http4k-security-digest for HTTP Digest authentication. The bug has been present since DigestAuthProvider was introduced (commit 8a52b615b1, 2021).
Patches
| Line | Fixed in | Edition | |------|----------|---------| | v6.x (Community) | 6.50.0.0 | Community | | v5.x (LTS) | 5.42.0.0 | Enterprise — contact enterprise@http4k.org (if Digest auth is present in your v5.x line) | | v4.x (LTS) | 4.51.0.0 | Enterprise — contact enterprise@http4k.org (if Digest auth is present in your v4.x line) |
The fix: - Hashes with the configured algorithm instead of hardcoded MD5.
Workarounds
For deployments that cannot upgrade immediately: - Algorithm gap: do not rely on algorithm configuration; assume MD5 is in use and treat the Digest credentials as low-trust.
References
- Vulnerability first present: 8a52b615b1 - Algorithm fix: 65d23d99fc - Fix release: v6.50.0.0 - Background: RFC 7616 — HTTP Digest Access Authentication
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
- Upgrade
Upgrade
maven/org.http4k:http4k-security-digestto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 6.50.0.0 - Upgrade
Upgrade
maven/org.http4k:http4k-security-digestto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.42.0.0 - Upgrade
Upgrade
http4k/http4k (DigestAuthProvider)to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 4.51.0.0Patch 65d23d99fc - Upgrade
Upgrade
http4k/http4k (DigestAuthProvider)to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.42.0.0Patch 65d23d99fc - Upgrade
Upgrade
http4k/http4k (DigestAuthProvider)to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 6.50.0.0Patch 65d23d99fc - Compensating control
For deployments that cannot upgrade immediately, treat HTTP Digest credentials verified by http4k-security-digest as low-trust because the configured `algorithm` parameter is silently ignored and verification uses MD5 collision-weaknesses.
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of GHSA-vxxm-wwqh-mh47?
The severity of GHSA-vxxm-wwqh-mh47 is rated as medium with a score of 6.5.
What vulnerability is described in GHSA-vxxm-wwqh-mh47?
GHSA-vxxm-wwqh-mh47 describes an issue where the algorithm parameter in DigestAuthProvider.verify is ignored, forcing algorithm verification to use MD5 instead of the intended configuration.
How do I fix GHSA-vxxm-wwqh-mh47?
To fix GHSA-vxxm-wwqh-mh47, you should update the http4k-security-digest library to a version where the vulnerability has been patched.
What impact does GHSA-vxxm-wwqh-mh47 have on applications?
GHSA-vxxm-wwqh-mh47 can lead to security weaknesses as applications may unknowingly use MD5 for authentication instead of a more secure algorithm like SHA-256.
When was GHSA-vxxm-wwqh-mh47 published?
GHSA-vxxm-wwqh-mh47 was published on August 17, 2026.