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🛡️ CVE-2026-40542 on Ubuntu — httpcomponents-client

⚪ Unknown ✅ No Known Exploit OSV
N/A
CVSS Score
0 Low4 Medium7 High9 Critical10

Description

Missing critical step in authentication in Apache HttpClient 5.6 allows an attacker to cause the client to accept SCRAM-SHA-256 authentication without proper mutual authentication verification. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 5.6.1, which fixes this issue.

Distribution advisory

This page covers CVE-2026-40542 as tracked by Ubuntu, for the package httpcomponents-client. No fixed version has been recorded for this distribution yet.

How this vulnerability can be exploited

This issue can be reached over the network, attack complexity is low, an attacker needs no privileges on the target. No user interaction is required. The scope is unchanged, so the impact stays within the vulnerable component. Rated impact: confidentiality low, integrity low, availability low.

CVSS metrics in full

The score comes from this vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L

  • Attack vector: Network — reachable from anywhere that can route to the service.
  • Attack complexity: Low — the attack works reliably, with no preparation.
  • Privileges required: None — an unauthenticated stranger can try it.
  • User interaction: None — nobody has to be tricked into anything.
  • Scope: Unchanged — the damage stays inside the vulnerable component.
  • Confidentiality impact: Low — limited, and the attacker does not choose what is affected.
  • Integrity impact: Low — limited, and the attacker does not choose what is affected.
  • Availability impact: Low — limited, and the attacker does not choose what is affected.

Weakness class

UBUNTU-CVE-2026-40542 is classified as CWE-304: Missing Critical Step in Authentication. The product implements an authentication technique, but it skips a step that weakens the technique.

Affected software

UBUNTU-CVE-2026-40542 is recorded against 1 package.

  • httpcomponents-client

Timeline and source

Published on 22 April 2026 and last revised on 30 June 2026. No public exploit is currently recorded for this entry. Record sourced from OSV.

References

ubuntu.com (Report)
www.cve.org (Report)
lists.apache.org (Report)

Other advisories for this package

httpcomponents-client has other advisories on record. If you are patching this one, these are worth checking on the same host:

Same weakness in other software

These advisories are the same class of weakness (CWE-304: Missing Critical Step in Authentication) in other software:

CVE-2026-40542 on other distributions

Each distribution ships its own build and its own fixed version. Pick the one you run:

Details

Severity Unknown
CVSS Score N/A
CVSS Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
CWE N/A
Public Exploit ✅ No
Source OSV
Published 2026-04-22
Updated 2026-08-20
Modified 2026-06-30
Fix URL N/A

Affected Packages

Software From version Fixed in
httpcomponents-client — —

Similar Threats

Site Security Check

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UBUNTU-CVE-2026-40542 is rated CVSS 8.0 High. BotEraser scans your installation against known CVE records and tells you whether this vulnerability applies to the versions you actually run.

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ⓘ Data Notice: The information presented above has been compiled from publicly available internet sources. Boteraser aggregates this data solely for informational purposes and does not independently classify, evaluate, or endorse any findings about the vulnerabilities listed. The accuracy and completeness of this information is the sole responsibility of the original publishers. Boteraser and its operators accept no liability for any decisions made based on this data.

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