CVE-2021-29492

Bypass of path matching rules using escaped slash characters

HIGH
8.3
CVSS Score
Published: May 28, 2021 at 09:00 PM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 03:47 AM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorEnvoy

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Severity
HIGH8.3
Exploit prediction
EPSS 63%

Description

Envoy is a cloud-native edge/middle/service proxy. Envoy does not decode escaped slash sequences `%2F` and `%5C` in HTTP URL paths in versions 1.18.2 and before. A remote attacker may craft a path with escaped slashes, e.g. `/something%2F..%2Fadmin`, to bypass access control, e.g. a block on `/admin`. A backend server could then decode slash sequences and normalize path and provide an attacker access beyond the scope provided for by the access control policy. ### Impact Escalation of Privileges when using RBAC or JWT filters with enforcement based on URL path. Users with back end servers that interpret `%2F` and `/` and `%5C` and `\` interchangeably are impacted. ### Attack Vector URL paths containing escaped slash characters delivered by untrusted client. Patches in versions 1.18.3, 1.17.3, 1.16.4, 1.15.5 contain new path normalization option to decode escaped slash characters. As a workaround, if back end servers treat `%2F` and `/` and `%5C` and `\` interchangeably and a URL path based access control is configured, one may reconfigure the back end server to not treat `%2F` and `/` and `%5C` and `\` interchangeably.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

v < 1.15.51.16.0 ≤ v < 1.16.41.17.0 ≤ v < 1.17.31.18.0 ≤ v < 1.18.3<= 1.18.2
Affected range stops below 1.15.5, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 1.16.4, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 1.17.3, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 1.18.3, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet. What the record does show:

References (1)

CVSS

Attack Vector
NETWORK
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
NONE
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
CHANGED
Confidentiality
LOW
Integrity
LOW
Availability
LOW
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusMODIFIED
CWE
CWE-22

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