echo: Improper Handling of URL Encoding (Hex Encoding)
CVE-2026-118650 is a high-severity improper handling of URL encoding (hex encoding) vulnerability in echo from Labstack, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected echo versions: >= 5.0.0, < 5.4.0; < 4.16.0. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.4% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Check which version of echo you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- NoneNothing can be modified.
- Availability
- NoneAvailability is not affected.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N. Scored by CNA (github.com).
Official description
Echo is a Go web framework. Prior to 4.16.0 and 5.4.0, a globally mounted middleware.Static instance can interpret an encoded request path differently from Echo's router because the router matches the still-encoded path while the static handler uses the decoded URL.Path. The advisory demonstrates an encoded slash resolving to a file under the static root through the global static middleware, but the source is internally inconsistent about whether a route or group guard protects the corresponding literal path in that global-mount configuration. This issue is fixed in 4.16.0 and 5.4.0.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Improper Handling of URL Encoding (Hex Encoding)
The product does not properly handle when all or part of an input has been URL encoded.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Avoid making decisions based on names of resources (e.g. files) if those resources can have alternate names.
- Inputs should be decoded and canonicalized to the application's current internal representation before being validated (CWE-180). Make sure that the application does not decode the same input twice (CWE-174). Such errors could be used to bypass allowlist validation schemes by introducing dangerous inputs after they have been checked.
More Improper Handling of URL Encoding (Hex Encoding) vulnerabilities (CWE-177)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: poc, automatable: yes, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
Other vulnerabilities in echo
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 8.2 High severity
- 8.2 High severity
- 8.2 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 9.6 Critical severity
Recent Improper Handling of URL Encoding (Hex Encoding) vulnerabilities
- 7.5 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 8.1 High severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
Spotted an error? Tell us.