# CVE-2026-42404: Apache Neethi does not impose any restrictions on URIs when manually fetching remote policy references through the…

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-42404-apache-neethi-doesn-t-impose-any-restrictions-on-uris-when  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-05-01  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-42404 · Severity: medium · CVSS 6.5 · Published 2026-05-01

Apache Neethi does not impose any restrictions on URIs when manually fetching remote policy references through the PolicyReference API. When an application explicitly calls the API to retrieve a policy from a remote URI, an outbound request is made for arbitrary protocols and internal IP adddresses. From 3.2.2, only http or https URIs are allowed, and link-local/multicast/any-local addresses are forbidden.

Users are recommended to upgrade to version 3.2.2, which fixes this issue.

Technologies: [Apache Neethi](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/apache-neethi), [org.apache.neethi:neethi (Maven)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/org-apache-neethi-neethi). Vendors: [Apache](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/apache), [Maven](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/maven).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-42404 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-42404 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-42404?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 6.5, published 1 May 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** org.apache.neethi:neethi (Maven) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=0,fixed=3.2.2.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-42404?** Yes. org.apache.neethi:neethi (Maven): upgrade to 3.2.2 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-42404?** Check whether you run Apache Neethi or org.apache.neethi:neethi (Maven) at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## How to fix

- org.apache.neethi:neethi (Maven): upgrade to 3.2.2 or later

  ```sh
  # set org.apache.neethi:neethi to 3.2.2 in your pom.xml or build.gradle
  ```


## Affected products

- Apache Neethi
- org.apache.neethi:neethi (Maven) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=0,fixed=3.2.2

## Identifiers

- CVE-2026-42404
- GHSA-287c-fxr7-3w6c

## Related threats

- [Neethi remote policy fetch thread exhaustion](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-91867-when-neethi-fetches-a-remote-policy-reference-it-only-limits-the)
- [Apache Neethi policy intersection exponential complexity denial of service](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-91866-a-specially-crafted-pair-of-ws-policy-documents-can-force-neethi)
- [Apache Neethi exponential policy expansion denial of service](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-91865-a-small-ws-policy-document-using-repeated-policy-references-can)
- [Apache Neethi heap exhaustion in WS-Policy processing](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-91864-a-specially-crafted-ws-policy-document-can-pack-unlimited-content)
- [Apache Neethi stack exhaustion via deeply nested WS-Policy elements](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-91863-a-specially-crafted-ws-policy-document-with-deeply-nested-policy)