# CVE-2026-85716: AsyncHttpClient: SCRAM and Digest mutual-authentication responses are not verified

> Attackers can bypass SCRAM and Digest mutual authentication in AsyncHttpClient by exploiting unverified server signatures, allowing impersonation of the server.

- **Severity:** Low 3.7 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 17 Sep 2026
- **Updated:** 18 Sep 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-fj9w-c36g-h5x8, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-85716

## What is CVE-2026-85716?

CVE-2026-85716 is a low-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in AsyncHttpClient async-http-client, published on 17 Sep 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The AsyncHttpClient (AHC) library allows Java applications to easily execute HTTP requests and asynchronously process HTTP responses. From 3.0.8 until 3.0.12, processScramAuthenticationInfo and processAuthenticationInfo compute the SCRAM ServerSignature or Digest rspauth verification result but log a mismatch and still deliver the response as authenticated. On a non-TLS or compromised transport, a peer that has not proved knowledge of the shared secret can therefore be accepted as the server. The fix rejects a present invalid value and computes Digest rspauth from the Authorization parameters actually sent, but verification remains unenforced when the value is absent, the sent parameters cannot be recovered, or Digest uses qop=auth-int. This issue is fixed in version 3.0.12.

Weakness: CWE-390 (Detection of Error Condition Without Action), CWE-287 (Improper Authentication)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-85716?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including org.asynchttpclient:async-http-client.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `org.asynchttpclient:async-http-client` | Maven | From 3.0.8 | 3.0.12 |
| `org.asynchttpclient:async-http-client` | Maven | From 3.0.8 | 3.0.12 |

## How do I fix CVE-2026-85716?

Upgrade org.asynchttpclient:async-http-client to 3.0.12 or later.

## Is CVE-2026-85716 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-85716 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-85716 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-85716 is a low-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in AsyncHttpClient async-http-client, published on 17 Sep 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-85716 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- org.asynchttpclient:async-http-client (Maven): affected from 3.0.8; fixed in 3.0.12
- org.asynchttpclient:async-http-client (Maven): affected from 3.0.8; fixed in 3.0.12

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-85716/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-85716/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-85716
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-85716
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-85716

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-85716/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.