Vulnerability Description
Litestar is an Asynchronous Server Gateway Interface (ASGI) framework. In version 2.17.0, rate limits can be completely bypassed by manipulating the X-Forwarded-For header. This renders IP-based rate limiting ineffective against determined attackers. Litestar's RateLimitMiddleware uses `cache_key_from_request()` to generate cache keys for rate limiting. When an X-Forwarded-For header is present, the middleware trusts it unconditionally and uses its value as part of the client identifier. Since clients can set arbitrary X-Forwarded-For values, each different spoofed IP creates a separate rate limit bucket. An attacker can rotate through different header values to avoid hitting any single bucket's limit. This affects any Litestar application using RateLimitMiddleware with default settings, which likely includes most applications that implement rate limiting. Version 2.18.0 contains a patch for the vulnerability.
CVSS Score
HIGH
Related Weaknesses (CWE)
References
- https://github.com/litestar-org/litestar/blob/26f20ac6c52de2b4bf81161f7560c8bb4a
- https://github.com/litestar-org/litestar/commit/42a89e043e50b515f8548a93954fe143
- https://github.com/litestar-org/litestar/security/advisories/GHSA-hm36-ffrh-c77c
FAQ
What is CVE-2025-59152?
CVE-2025-59152 is a vulnerability with a CVSS score of 7.5 (HIGH). Litestar is an Asynchronous Server Gateway Interface (ASGI) framework. In version 2.17.0, rate limits can be completely bypassed by manipulating the X-Forwarded-For header. This renders IP-based rate ...
How severe is CVE-2025-59152?
CVE-2025-59152 has been rated HIGH with a CVSS base score of 7.5/10. Review the CVSS metrics above for detailed severity breakdown.
Is there a patch for CVE-2025-59152?
Check the references section above for vendor advisories and patch information. Review vendor security bulletins for remediation guidance.