HTTP Request Smuggling in Waitress: Invalid whitespace characters in headers (Follow-up)
Impact
The patches introduced to fix https://github.com/Pylons/waitress/security/advisories/GHSA-m5ff-3wj3-8ph4 were not complete and still would allow an attacker to smuggle requests/split a HTTP request with invalid data.
This updates the existing CVE with ID: CVE-2019-16789
Patches
Waitress version 1.4.2 has been updated to now validate HTTP headers better to avoid the issue, completely fixing all known issues with whitespace.
Workarounds
There are no work-arounds, upgrading to Waitress 1.4.2 is highly recommended.
References
See https://github.com/Pylons/waitress/security/advisories/GHSA-m5ff-3wj3-8ph4 for more information on the security issue.
For more information
If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:
- open an issue at https://github.com/Pylons/waitress/issues (if not sensitive or security related)
- email the Pylons Security mailing list: pylons-project-security@googlegroups.com (if security related)
Affected software
Click a technology to see all vulnerabilities affecting it.
| Platform | Package | Vulnerable versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Python (PyPI) | waitress | < 1.4.2 | 1.4.2 |
References
- https://github.com/Pylons/waitress/commit/11d9e138125ad46e951027184b13242a3c1de017
- https://github.com/github/advisory-review/pull/14604
- https://docs.pylonsproject.org/projects/waitress/en/latest/#security-fixes
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/GVDHR2DNKCNQ7YQXISJ45NT4IQDX3LJ7/
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/LYEOTGWJZVKPRXX2HBNVIYWCX73QYPM5/
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2020:0720
- https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-968f-66r5-5v74
- https://github.com/Pylons/waitress/security/advisories/GHSA-968f-66r5-5v74
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-16789
- https://github.com/Pylons/waitress/commit/ddb65b489d01d696afa1695b75fdd5df3e4ffdf8
- https://github.com/Pylons/waitress
- https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/waitress/PYSEC-2019-138.yaml
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2022/05/msg00011.html
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/GVDHR2DNKCNQ7YQXISJ45NT4IQDX3LJ7
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/LYEOTGWJZVKPRXX2HBNVIYWCX73QYPM5
- https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuapr2022.html
- CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:H/A:N- Weakness (CWE)
CWE-444- Platform
- Python (PyPI)
- Package
waitress- Disclosed
- 26.12.2019
- Updated
- 11.10.2026 11:20
Sources and licenses
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - PYSEC-2019-138 - PyPA Advisory Database; CC BY 4.0
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-968f-66r5-5v74 - CC BY 4.0
Vulnerability history: waitress
All published vulnerabilities of this package (Python (PyPI)), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.
- Total entries
- 10
- First → latest
- 12.2019 10.2024
- Without a fix
- 0
- Exploited in attacks
- 0
Severity breakdown
- Critical 2
- High 4
- Medium 4
Disclosures per year
- 2019: 5
- 2020: 1
- 2021: 0
- 2022: 2
- 2023: 0
- 2024: 2
- 2025: 0
- 2026: 0
-
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