HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2020-26281
HIGH

CVE-2020-26281

CWE-444Published: December 21, 2020· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

7.5
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

async-h1 is an asynchronous HTTP/1.1 parser for Rust (crates.io). There is a request smuggling vulnerability in async-h1 before version 2.3.0. This vulnerability affects any webserver that uses async-h1 behind a reverse proxy, including all such Tide applications. If the server does not read the body of a request which is longer than some buffer length, async-h1 will attempt to read a subsequent request from the body content starting at that offset into the body. One way to exploit this vulnerability would be for an adversary to craft a request such that the body contains a request that would not be noticed by a reverse proxy, allowing it to forge forwarded/x-forwarded headers. If an application trusted the authenticity of these headers, it could be misled by the smuggled request. Another potential concern with this vulnerability is that if a reverse proxy is sending multiple http clients' requests along the same keep-alive connection, it would be possible for the smuggled request to specify a long content and capture another user's request in its body. This content could be captured in a post request to an endpoint that allows the content to be subsequently retrieved by the adversary. This has been addressed in async-h1 2.3.0 and previous versions have been yanked.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2020-26281 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and worm-like propagation.

A successful exploit results in full integrity compromise (data manipulation), with a CVSS base score of 7.5.

The vulnerability has a "Changed" scope, meaning successful exploitation can impact components beyond the vulnerable component itself — such as the host operating system or adjacent services.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityHigh
Privileges Req.None
User InteractionNone
ScopeChanged
Impact
ConfidentialityLow
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityNone
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:H/A:N

Affected Vendors & Products

rust-lang1 product(s)
async-h1
Source: NVD CPE · 1 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.

Official Patches & Advisories

All References (4)

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2020-26281
CVSS Score7.5 / 10
SeverityHIGH
WeaknessCWE-444
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedDec 21, 2020

Related CVEs (CWE-444)

Recommended Actions

  • Apply vendor patches immediately
  • Monitor CVE-2020-26281 in threat intel feeds
  • Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.