# CVE-2026-40542

> Vulnerability · severity: **HIGH** (CVSS 7.3).

## Description

Missing critical step in authentication in Apache HttpClient 5.6 allows an attacker to cause the client to accept SCRAM-SHA-256 authentication without proper mutual authentication verification. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 5.6.1, which fixes this issue.

## Key facts

- **CVE ID:** CVE-2026-40542
- **Published:** 2026-04-22
- **CVSS severity:** HIGH
- **CVSS base score:** 7.3
- **CWE codes:** CWE-304

## Affected products

- `apache:httpclient`

## Primary sources

- NIST NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-40542

## Citation

> AI Analytics. CVE-2026-40542. Retrieved 2026-07-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/cve/CVE-2026-40542. Derived from NIST NVD. Licensed CC0.

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