Appsecure logo

CVE-2024-51501: Critical Vulnerability in Refit Library

A critical CRLF injection vulnerability in the Refit library affects .NET Core applications. Organizations must prioritize patching to mitigate the risk of request splitting and server-side request forgery.

CRITICALCVSS 10 · Published November 4, 2024

Not a customer? See how AppSecure simulates real world attacks to protect your infrastructure.

Speak to Experts

CVE-2024-51501 is a critical vulnerability affecting the Refit library, an automatic type-safe REST library for .NET Core, Xamarin, and .NET. This vulnerability allows for CRLF injection due to the library's handling of HTTP headers. The `HttpHeaders.TryAddWithoutValidation` method does not validate header values for CRLF characters, enabling attackers to inject additional HTTP headers or even smuggle entire HTTP requests. If an application utilizing Refit accepts user-controlled input for headers, it becomes susceptible to this vulnerability.

The implications of CRLF injection can be significant, particularly in web applications, as they may lead to request splitting and Server Side Request Forgery (SSRF). As of now, the vulnerability is classified as awaiting analysis, but its severity is underscored by a CVSS score of 10, indicating critical risk. Organizations using Refit should prioritize immediate patching to versions 7.2.22 and 8.0.0, which address this issue.

Given the critical nature of this vulnerability and its potential impact on web applications, organizations must act swiftly to ensure their applications are not vulnerable to exploitation. The absence of known workarounds further emphasizes the necessity of upgrading to the patched versions.

Risk to organizations includes unauthorized access, data exfiltration, and other security breaches. As a response, it is essential for development teams to review their usage of the Refit library and ensure that all instances are updated. Moreover, security teams should conduct thorough assessments of their applications to identify any specific vulnerabilities related to HTTP header management.

Organizations should prioritize patching immediately.

In summary, CVE-2024-51501 represents a critical vulnerability that necessitates immediate attention from organizations utilizing the Refit library. By understanding the risks, implementing the necessary patches, and monitoring for potential exploitation, organizations can safeguard their applications against this threat.

Vulnerability Details

The official CVE description states that the Refit library's header-related attributes are susceptible to CRLF injection. This vulnerability allows attackers to perform actions such as request splitting if user-controllable values are passed through to the headers. The CVSS score of 10 highlights the critical nature of this vulnerability, indicating that it poses a high risk to confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

Technical Analysis

The root cause of CVE-2024-51501 lies in the implementation of the `HttpHeaders.TryAddWithoutValidation` method within the Refit library. This method fails to check for CRLF characters in header values, leading to potential CRLF injection. The attack vector is network-based, requiring no privileges or user interaction, which makes it easier for attackers to exploit.

The implications of this vulnerability are significant, as it may allow attackers to inject additional headers or create new requests without validation. The confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts are all rated as high due to the nature of HTTP request manipulation.

Risk & Impact Analysis

The risk to organizations includes unauthorized access and the potential for data breaches due to an attacker exploiting this vulnerability. The blast radius could extend to any web application using the Refit library, particularly those that handle sensitive data or rely heavily on HTTP interactions. Given the CVSS score of 10, organizations should address this vulnerability in their priority patch cycle.

With a low EPSS score of 0.00108, which places it in the 29th percentile, the likelihood of exploitation is currently assessed as low; however, the critical nature of the vulnerability means that proactive remediation is essential.

Exploitation Status

Signal

Status

Known Exploit

No

Public PoC

No

Actively Exploited

No

Ransomware Use

No

Affected Versions

All versions prior to vendor patch are affected. It is crucial for organizations to upgrade to Refit versions 7.2.22 and 8.0.0, which have addressed this vulnerability.

Mitigation & Remediation

Organizations should ensure that all applications using the Refit library are updated to the latest versions. This includes transitioning to versions 7.2.22 and 8.0.0, which contain the necessary patches. Additionally, organizations may consider implementing network controls to monitor and restrict unauthorized HTTP requests, as well as conducting security assessments to identify any potential vulnerabilities within their applications.

For further guidance on enhancing application security, organizations can refer to our comprehensive application security assessment services.

Detection Guidance

Organizations should monitor logs for unusual HTTP header patterns and track behavioral anomalies in request handling. Additionally, implementing network signatures that can detect unauthorized HTTP requests will aid in identifying potential exploitation attempts.

AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight

CVE-2024-51501 highlights a significant risk for applications using the Refit library. The potential for CRLF injection underscores the importance of secure coding practices and the need for regular updates to library dependencies. This vulnerability serves as a reminder to organizations to maintain vigilance in their application security posture.

To learn more about best practices in vulnerability management, organizations can explore our article on vulnerability management programs and how to effectively manage application security risks.

Finally, organizations are encouraged to keep abreast of emerging threats and trends in application security by reviewing our insights on penetration testing methodologies to enhance their security posture.

Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.

Latest CVEs. Recently published vulnerabilities from the NVD database.

View all vulnerabilities
CVE IDSeverity
CVE-2025-65418HIGH
CVE-2025-65417MEDIUM
CVE-2025-65416MEDIUM
CVE-2025-65415MEDIUM
CVE-2025-61314HIGH

Protect Your Business with Hacker-Focused Approach.