CVE-2013-7398: Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity in Async Http Client
Summary
CVE-2013-7398: Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity in Async Http Client. Affects com.ning:async-http-client versions < 1.9.0. Fixed in 1.9.0. How to fix ↓
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Background
Async Http Client (AHC) is a popular open-source library for making asynchronous HTTP requests in Java. It provides a convenient API for sending HTTP requests and handling responses asynchronously. AHC is widely used in various applications and frameworks to perform HTTP communication. However, versions of AHC before 1.9.0 are vulnerable to an insufficient verification of data authenticity issue.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in AHC arises from the fact that it does not require a hostname match during the verification of X.509 certificates. This allows an attacker to perform a man-in-the-middle attack and spoof HTTPS servers by presenting an arbitrary valid certificate. By intercepting the communication between the client and the server, the attacker can read or modify the data exchanged, potentially leading to unauthorized access, data leakage, or other security breaches.
How To Fix
Latest published version: 1.9.40 as of 22 Oct 2026
Upgrading to it may include breaking changes; the version below is the minimum fixed release for this vulnerability.
If you need the minimum change
1.9.0
This is the first release that contains the fix.
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Workaround
If upgrading to the latest version of AHC is not immediately feasible, a possible workaround is to manually implement hostname verification in the application code. This can be done by using a custom SSLContext that performs the necessary hostname checks during certificate validation. Here is an example of how to create a custom SSLContext with hostname verification:
import javax.net.ssl.SSLContext;
import javax.net.ssl.X509TrustManager;
import java.security.cert.CertificateException;
import java.security.cert.X509Certificate;
public class CustomSSLContext {
public static SSLContext create() throws Exception {
SSLContext sslContext = SSLContext.getInstance("TLS");
sslContext.init(null, new X509TrustManager[]{
new X509TrustManager() {
@Override
public void checkClientTrusted(X509Certificate[] x509Certificates, String s) throws CertificateException {
// Do nothing
}
@Override
public void checkServerTrusted(X509Certificate[] x509Certificates, String s) throws CertificateException {
// Perform hostname verification here
// Throw CertificateException if hostname does not match
}
@Override
public X509Certificate[] getAcceptedIssuers() {
return null;
}
}
}, null);
return sslContext;
}
}
Conclusion
The insufficient verification of data authenticity vulnerability in Async Http Client (AHC) before version 1.9.0 can allow man-in-the-middle attackers to spoof HTTPS servers. It is crucial to upgrade to the latest version of AHC or implement the recommended workaround to mitigate the risk of unauthorized access, data leakage, or other security breaches. For further assistance on vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
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FAQ
Async Http Client (AHC) is an open-source library for making asynchronous HTTP requests in Java. It provides a convenient API for sending HTTP requests and handling responses asynchronously. AHC is widely used in various applications and frameworks to perform HTTP communication.
The vulnerability allows a man-in-the-middle attacker to spoof HTTPS servers by presenting an arbitrary valid certificate. This can lead to unauthorized access, data leakage, or other security breaches if the attacker intercepts and modifies the communication between the client and the server.
To fix this vulnerability, it is recommended to upgrade to version 1.9.0 or later of Async Http Client (AHC). This version includes the necessary changes to enforce hostname matching during certificate verification, thereby preventing man-in-the-middle attacks.
If upgrading to the latest version of Async Http Client (AHC) is not immediately feasible, a possible workaround is to manually implement hostname verification in the application code. This can be done by using a custom SSLContext that performs the necessary hostname checks during certificate validation.
You can find more information about this vulnerability in the official CVE entry: https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2013-7398
References
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