Fastify request.protocol and request.host spoofable via X-Forwarded-Proto/Host from untrusted connections when trustProxy uses restrictive trust function
Summary
When trustProxy is configured with a restrictive trust function (e.g., a specific IP like trustProxy: '10.0.0.1', a subnet, a hop count, or a custom function), the request.protocol and request.host getters read X-Forwarded-Proto and X-Forwarded-Host headers from any connection — including connections from untrusted IPs. This allows an attacker connecting directly to Fastify (bypassing the proxy) to spoof both the protocol and host seen by the application.
Affected Versions
fastify <= 5.8.2
Impact
Applications using request.protocol or request.host for security decisions (HTTPS enforcement, secure cookie flags, CSRF origin checks, URL construction, host-based routing) are affected when trustProxy is configured with a restrictive trust function.
When trustProxy: true (trust everything), both host and protocol trust all forwarded headers — this is expected behavior. The vulnerability only manifests with restrictive trust configurations.
Problem Types
| Type | CWE ID | Description |
|---|
| CWE | CWE-348 | CWE-348 Use of less trusted source |
Type: CWE
Description: CWE-348 Use of less trusted source
Metrics
| Version | Base score | Base severity | Vector |
|---|
| 3.1 | 6.1 | MEDIUM | CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N |
Version: 3.1
Base score: 6.1
Base severity: MEDIUM
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N