Cyber Resilience

CVE-2025-27820

Crypto Weakness in Apache Httpclient 5.4 – 5.4.3

Crypto Weakness
Published
24 April 2025
Modified
17 June 2026
Patch / advisory
View advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 7.5
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
EPSS Score 0.0085 54th percentile
Risk Priority 55 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2025-27820 is a high-severity Improper Certificate Validation (CWE-295) vulnerability in Apache Httpclient. Its CVSS base score is 7.5 (High).

Operationally, ranked in the top 46% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to SI-2 (Flaw Remediation) and CM-8 (System Component Inventory) — see the control section below for these in your framework.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

A07:2025 Authentication Failures

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

A bug in PSL validation logic in Apache HttpClient 5.4.x disables domain checks, affecting cookie management and host name verification. Discovered by the Apache HttpClient team. Fixed in the 5.4.3 release

CWE(s)
CWE-295

Related Threats

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2024-34750Same product: Netapp Ontap Tools
CVE-2024-38286Same product: Netapp Ontap Tools
CVE-2024-39884Same product: Netapp Ontap Tools
CVE-2024-28752Same product: Netapp Ontap Tools
CVE-2024-1351Same product: Netapp Ontap Tools
CVE-2024-47554Same product: Netapp Ontap Tools
CVE-2024-56337Same product class: NAS / storage appliance
CVE-2024-38476Same product class: NAS / storage appliance
CVE-2024-54677Same product class: NAS / storage appliance
CVE-2024-39573Same product class: NAS / storage appliance

Affected Assets

apache
httpclient
5.4 — 5.4.3
netapp
ontap tools
10

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)
  • SI-2 Flaw Remediation
Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)
  • RA-5 Vulnerability Monitoring and Scanning
  • CM-8 System Component Inventory
Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)
  • 12 hardening rules · 3 OS baselines
Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)

—

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

SI-2 Flaw Remediation good match
prevent

Directly requires timely installation of the 5.4.3 patch that restores PSL domain checks and hostname verification in HttpClient.

RA-5 Vulnerability Monitoring and Scanning partial match
detect

Enables discovery of systems still running the vulnerable 5.4.x HttpClient versions before exploitation.

CM-8 System Component Inventory partial match
detect

Maintains an accurate inventory of HttpClient library versions so vulnerable instances can be located and prioritized for remediation.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.AA-03 mostly match
prevents

Certificate-based authentication of users/services/hardware directly depends on correct validation.

PR.DS-02 mostly match
prevents

Proper certificate validation is a core mechanism for protecting data-in-transit confidentiality and integrity.

PR.PS-06 mostly match
prevents

Secure development practices explicitly include implementing correct certificate validation logic.

ID.RA-09 partial match
prevents

Assessing authenticity/integrity of acquired software often relies on code-signing certificate validation.

PR.AA-04 partial match
prevents

Identity assertions conveyed via certificates require validation to be verified.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

A.8.24 Use of cryptography partial match
prevents

Requiring issuance and validation of public-key certificates under an approved policy reduces the chance that certificates with improper validation will be trusted.

Hardening callouts derived

Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that reduce the attack surface for weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Derived transitively via CVE→CWE→STIG over `controls_xwalks` (authoritative rows only).

Oracle Linux 8 (2 rules)
  • V-248574 YUM must be configured to prevent the installation of patches, service packs, device drivers, or OL 8 system components that have not been digitally signed using a certificate that is recognized and approved by the organization. via CWE-295
  • V-248575 OL 8 must prevent the installation of software, patches, service packs, device drivers, or operating system components of local packages without verification they have been digitally signed using a certificate that is issued by a Certificate Authority (CA) that is recognized and approved by the organization. via CWE-295
RHEL 7 (1 rule)
  • V-204447 The Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating system must prevent the installation of software, patches, service packs, device drivers, or operating system components from a repository without verification they have been digitally signed using a certificate that is issued by a Certificate Authority (CA) that is recognized and approved by the organization. via CWE-295
RHEL 8 (2 rules)
  • V-230264 RHEL 8 must prevent the installation of software, patches, service packs, device drivers, or operating system components from a repository without verification they have been digitally signed using a certificate that is issued by a Certificate Authority (CA) that is recognized and approved by the organization. via CWE-295
  • V-230265 RHEL 8 must prevent the installation of software, patches, service packs, device drivers, or operating system components of local packages without verification they have been digitally signed using a certificate that is issued by a Certificate Authority (CA) that is recognized and approved by the organization. via CWE-295

References