CVE-2026-97687
HIGHDescription
urllib3 is an HTTP client library for Python. From 1.26.0 until 2.8.0, the proxy_ssl_context, proxy_assert_hostname, proxy_assert_fingerprint, ssl_context, cert_reqs, verify_mode, use_forwarding_for_https=True, and CERT_NONE configuration paths fail to remain separated because target-server TLS settings are incorrectly applied to the HTTPS proxy connection. The trigger is that an application uses an HTTPS proxy and configures target-server TLS settings that must remain separate from the proxy TLS handshake, including HTTPS forwarding with target-specific identity or credentials. Applying cert_reqs=CERT_NONE can overwrite proxy_ssl_context.verify_mode in place, and the mutation persists so later connections reusing the same context may connect to the HTTPS proxy without certificate verification. The attack mechanism is that an attacker intercepts and impersonates the HTTPS proxy after the effective proxy policy accepts the attacker's certificate. The impact is that the attacker can observe or modify forwarded traffic or receive a target TLS client certificate, while CONNECT tunneling still preserves the separate end-to-end target TLS connection. This issue is fixed in version 2.8.0.
How to fix
TridentStack Control can deploy fixes like this automatically across your Windows, macOS, and Linux fleet. See how it works
Remediation is compiled from vendor and distribution security advisories. Always confirm against the linked source for your exact version and platform.
CVSS v4 Vector
Exploitability
Impact
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
Exploit Intelligence
Low risk: more likely to be exploited than 14% of all known CVEs.
References
Related Vulnerabilities
Other CWE-295 (Improper Certificate Validation) vulnerabilities, ordered by exploit likelihood. View all
| CVE | Severity | CVSS | EPSS | Exploited | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2015-4000 | Low | 3.7 | 100% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2020-0601 | High | 8.1 | 89% | KEV | Fix |
| CVE-2009-3555 | Critical | 9.8 | 87% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2022-26923 | High | 8.8 | 84% | KEV | Fix |
| CVE-2023-27823 | Critical | 9.8 | 54% | - | - |
| CVE-2022-42979 | High | 8.8 | 24% | - | - |
Common questions
How do I fix CVE-2026-97687?
Upgrade python-urllib3 on debian unstable to 2.8.0-1 or later.
Is CVE-2026-97687 being actively exploited?
Not that we know of. CVE-2026-97687 is not in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Its EPSS score of 0.24% is the estimated probability that it will be exploited in the next 30 days. That is higher than 14% of all scored CVEs.
How severe is CVE-2026-97687?
CVE-2026-97687 has a CVSS v4 base score of 7.6, rated important. CVSS rates the technical impact if the vulnerability is exploited, not how likely that is, so weigh it alongside the exploit-prediction score when you decide what to patch first.
What does CVE-2026-97687 affect?
Published advisories record a fix for python-urllib3 (Debian). Only products with a sourced advisory are listed, so treat this as what we can cite rather than a complete inventory.
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This product uses NVD data but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS scores courtesy of FIRST.org (https://www.first.org/epss). Source: CISA KEV Catalog. Data as of 2026-09-30.