CVE-2021-29492
Bypass of path matching rules using escaped slash characters
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.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- High
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
8.1
Bypass of path matching rules using escaped slash characters
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.
- Record
CVE-2021-29492- CVSS 3.1
- 8.1 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-22
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2021-16089
8.1
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.
- Record
EUVD-2021-16089- CVSS 3.1
- 8.1 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-03
NVD
8.1
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.
- Record
CVE-2021-29492- CVSS 3.1
- 8.1 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 3.1
- 8.3 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L - CVSS 2.0
- 7.5 High
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P - Weakness
- CWE-22
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
8.3
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.
- Record
CVE-2021-29492- CVSS 3.1
- 8.3 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVRHSA-2021:1538
8.3
Red Hat Security Advisory: Red Hat OpenShift Service Mesh 2.0.4 security update
- Record
RHSA-2021:1538- CVSS 3.1
- 8.3 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVRHSA-2021:1540
8.3
Red Hat Security Advisory: Red Hat OpenShift Service Mesh 1.1.14 security update
- Record
RHSA-2021:1540- CVSS 3.1
- 8.3 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVBIT-envoy-2021-29492 No score
Bypass of path matching rules using escaped slash characters
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.
- Record
BIT-envoy-2021-29492- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
envoyBitnami |
before 1.15.5, 1.16.0 up to 1.16.4, 1.17.0 up to 1.17.3, 1.18.0 up to 1.18.3 | 1.15.51.16.41.17.31.18.3 |
servicemesh-operatorRed Hat:service_mesh:2.0::el8 From an advisory covering 2 CVEs |
before 0:2.0.4-3.el8 | 0:2.0.4-3.el8 |
servicemesh-proxyRed Hat:service_mesh:2.0::el8 From an advisory covering 2 CVEs |
before 0:2.0.4-1.el8 | 0:2.0.4-1.el8 |
servicemeshRed Hat:service_mesh:2.0::el8 From an advisory covering 2 CVEs |
before 0:2.0.4-1.el8 | 0:2.0.4-1.el8 |
servicemesh-istioctlRed Hat:service_mesh:2.0::el8 From an advisory covering 2 CVEs |
before 0:2.0.4-1.el8 | 0:2.0.4-1.el8 |
servicemesh-mixcRed Hat:service_mesh:2.0::el8 From an advisory covering 2 CVEs |
before 0:2.0.4-1.el8 | 0:2.0.4-1.el8 |
servicemesh-mixsRed Hat:service_mesh:2.0::el8 From an advisory covering 2 CVEs |
before 0:2.0.4-1.el8 | 0:2.0.4-1.el8 |
servicemesh-pilot-agentRed Hat:service_mesh:2.0::el8 From an advisory covering 2 CVEs |
before 0:2.0.4-1.el8 | 0:2.0.4-1.el8 |
servicemesh-pilot-discoveryRed Hat:service_mesh:2.0::el8 From an advisory covering 2 CVEs |
before 0:2.0.4-1.el8 | 0:2.0.4-1.el8 |
servicemesh-proxyRed Hat:service_mesh:1.1::el8 From an advisory covering 2 CVEs |
before 0:1.1.14-1.el8 | 0:1.1.14-1.el8 |
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| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
servicemeshRed Hat:service_mesh:1.1::el8 From an advisory covering 2 CVEs |
before 0:1.1.14-1.el8 | 0:1.1.14-1.el8 |
servicemesh-citadelRed Hat:service_mesh:1.1::el8 From an advisory covering 2 CVEs |
before 0:1.1.14-1.el8 | 0:1.1.14-1.el8 |
servicemesh-galleyRed Hat:service_mesh:1.1::el8 From an advisory covering 2 CVEs |
before 0:1.1.14-1.el8 | 0:1.1.14-1.el8 |
servicemesh-istioctlRed Hat:service_mesh:1.1::el8 From an advisory covering 2 CVEs |
before 0:1.1.14-1.el8 | 0:1.1.14-1.el8 |
servicemesh-mixcRed Hat:service_mesh:1.1::el8 From an advisory covering 2 CVEs |
before 0:1.1.14-1.el8 | 0:1.1.14-1.el8 |
servicemesh-mixsRed Hat:service_mesh:1.1::el8 From an advisory covering 2 CVEs |
before 0:1.1.14-1.el8 | 0:1.1.14-1.el8 |
servicemesh-pilot-agentRed Hat:service_mesh:1.1::el8 From an advisory covering 2 CVEs |
before 0:1.1.14-1.el8 | 0:1.1.14-1.el8 |
servicemesh-pilot-discoveryRed Hat:service_mesh:1.1::el8 From an advisory covering 2 CVEs |
before 0:1.1.14-1.el8 | 0:1.1.14-1.el8 |
servicemesh-sidecar-injectorRed Hat:service_mesh:1.1::el8 From an advisory covering 2 CVEs |
before 0:1.1.14-1.el8 | 0:1.1.14-1.el8 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| affected, facts | ||
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2021-29492 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.1) in Envoyproxy Envoy, published May 28, 2021. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 63.1%, the 99th percentile. Fixed in envoy 1.15.5.
References
github.com/envoyproxy/envoy/security/advisories/GHSA-4987-27fx-x6cf
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-29492
access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2021:1538
access.redhat.com/security/updates/classification
bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1951188
bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1959481
Show 10 moreShow less
security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/advisories/2021/rhsa-2021_1538.json
access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2021-29492
cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-29492
istio.io/latest/news/releases/1.9.x/announcing-1.9.5
access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2021-31920
cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-31920
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-31920
istio.io/latest/news/security/istio-security-2021-005
access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2021:1540
security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/advisories/2021/rhsa-2021_1540.json