Vert.x-Web vulnerable to Stored Cross-site Scripting in directory listings via file names

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS 4.0

2.3 · CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:N/SC:L/SI:L/SA:N · score source

EPSS

• CVE-2025-11966: 0.29% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 21.76 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Description - In the StaticHandlerImpl#sendDirectoryListing(...) method under the text/html branch, file and directory names are directly embedded into the href, title, and link text without proper HTML escaping. - As a result, in environments where an attacker can control file names, injecting HTML/JavaScript is possible. Simply accessing the directory listing page will trigger an XSS. - Affected Code: - File: vertx-web/src/main/java/io/vertx/ext/web/handler/impl/StaticHandlerImpl.java - Lines: - 709–713: normalizedDir is constructed without escaping - 714–731: <li<a ... elements insert file names directly into attributes and body without escaping - 744: parent directory name construction - 746–751: {directory}, {parent}, and {files} are inserted into the HTML template without escaping Reproduction Steps 1. Prerequisites: - Directory listing is enabled using StaticHandler (e.g., StaticHandler.create("public").setDirectoryListing(true)) - The attacker has the ability to create…

Published by the source

22 Oct 2025, 19:38 UTC

Last modified by the source

21 Jan 2026, 16:37 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 16:43 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-45p5-v273-3qqr

Preview the exact text before you copy it. Commands are read-only suggestions; review them before running anything.

# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2025-11966

Advisory: Vert.x-Web vulnerable to Stored Cross-site Scripting in directory listings via file names
IDs: CVE-2025-11966, GHSA-45p5-v273-3qqr
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2025-11966 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 16:43 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Low (CVSS 2.3)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: io.vertx:vertx-web 5.0.5, 4.5.22. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Maven io.vertx:vertx-web: affected < 4.5.22; >= 5.0.0, <= 5.0.4; fixed in 4.5.22, 5.0.5

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- Maven io.vertx:vertx-web: check the installed version with your package manager.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on io.vertx:vertx-web.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-45p5-v273-3qqr (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-45p5-v273-3qqr lists affected ranges: Maven io.vertx:vertx-web >=0 =5.0.0 <=5.0.4)

Commands are suggestions: review each one before running it.