diff --git a/src/lib/exchange_api_curl_defaults.c b/src/lib/exchange_api_curl_defaults.c
index d1e84f956..26c1ac7df 100644
--- a/src/lib/exchange_api_curl_defaults.c
+++ b/src/lib/exchange_api_curl_defaults.c
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
  * @param url URL to query
  */
 CURL *
-TEL_curl_easy_get (const char *url)
+TALER_EXCHANGE_curl_easy_get_ (const char *url)
 {
   CURL *eh;
 
@@ -43,6 +43,12 @@ TEL_curl_easy_get (const char *url)
                  curl_easy_setopt (eh,
                                    CURLOPT_FOLLOWLOCATION,
                                    1L));
+  /* limit MAXREDIRS to 5 as a simple security measure against
+     a potential infinite loop caused by a malicious target */
+  GNUNET_assert (CURLE_OK ==
+                 curl_easy_setopt (eh,
+                                   CURLOPT_MAXREDIRS,
+                                   5L));
   GNUNET_assert (CURLE_OK ==
                  curl_easy_setopt (eh,
                                    CURLOPT_TCP_FASTOPEN,
diff --git a/src/lib/exchange_api_curl_defaults.h b/src/lib/exchange_api_curl_defaults.h
index 7ca1d2e35..009d72ab8 100644
--- a/src/lib/exchange_api_curl_defaults.h
+++ b/src/lib/exchange_api_curl_defaults.h
@@ -36,6 +36,6 @@
  * @param url URL to query
  */
 CURL *
-TEL_curl_easy_get (const char *url);
+TALER_EXCHANGE_curl_easy_get_ (const char *url);
 
 #endif /* _TALER_CURL_DEFAULTS_H */
diff --git a/src/lib/exchange_api_deposit.c b/src/lib/exchange_api_deposit.c
index b1d0162f2..24b9f6fed 100644
--- a/src/lib/exchange_api_deposit.c
+++ b/src/lib/exchange_api_deposit.c
@@ -626,7 +626,7 @@ TALER_EXCHANGE_deposit (struct TALER_EXCHANGE_Handle *exchange,
   dh->dki.key.rsa_public_key = NULL; /* lifetime not warranted, so better
                                         not copy the pointer */
 
-  eh = TEL_curl_easy_get (dh->url);
+  eh = TALER_EXCHANGE_curl_easy_get_ (dh->url);
   if (GNUNET_OK !=
       TALER_curl_easy_post (&dh->ctx,
                             eh,
diff --git a/src/lib/exchange_api_deposits_get.c b/src/lib/exchange_api_deposits_get.c
index 1ffd738c3..40d86401d 100644
--- a/src/lib/exchange_api_deposits_get.c
+++ b/src/lib/exchange_api_deposits_get.c
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ TALER_EXCHANGE_deposits_get (struct TALER_EXCHANGE_Handle *exchange,
   dwh->depconf.h_contract_terms = *h_contract_terms;
   dwh->depconf.coin_pub = *coin_pub;
 
-  eh = TEL_curl_easy_get (dwh->url);
+  eh = TALER_EXCHANGE_curl_easy_get_ (dwh->url);
   ctx = TEAH_handle_to_context (exchange);
   dwh->job = GNUNET_CURL_job_add (ctx,
                                   eh,
diff --git a/src/lib/exchange_api_handle.c b/src/lib/exchange_api_handle.c
index 6a88b703b..5d9551c5a 100644
--- a/src/lib/exchange_api_handle.c
+++ b/src/lib/exchange_api_handle.c
@@ -1953,7 +1953,7 @@ request_keys (void *cls)
   GNUNET_log (GNUNET_ERROR_TYPE_DEBUG,
               "Requesting keys with URL `%s'.\n",
               kr->url);
-  eh = TEL_curl_easy_get (kr->url);
+  eh = TALER_EXCHANGE_curl_easy_get_ (kr->url);
   GNUNET_assert (CURLE_OK ==
                  curl_easy_setopt (eh,
                                    CURLOPT_VERBOSE,
diff --git a/src/lib/exchange_api_link.c b/src/lib/exchange_api_link.c
index 3204ca842..e659a41c0 100644
--- a/src/lib/exchange_api_link.c
+++ b/src/lib/exchange_api_link.c
@@ -455,7 +455,7 @@ TALER_EXCHANGE_link (struct TALER_EXCHANGE_Handle *exchange,
   lh->coin_priv = *coin_priv;
   lh->url = TEAH_path_to_url (exchange,
                               arg_str);
-  eh = TEL_curl_easy_get (lh->url);
+  eh = TALER_EXCHANGE_curl_easy_get_ (lh->url);
   ctx = TEAH_handle_to_context (exchange);
   lh->job = GNUNET_CURL_job_add (ctx,
                                  eh,
diff --git a/src/lib/exchange_api_melt.c b/src/lib/exchange_api_melt.c
index 9c85fa188..5a3abba8f 100644
--- a/src/lib/exchange_api_melt.c
+++ b/src/lib/exchange_api_melt.c
@@ -456,7 +456,7 @@ TALER_EXCHANGE_melt (struct TALER_EXCHANGE_Handle *exchange,
   mh->md = md;
   mh->url = TEAH_path_to_url (exchange,
                               arg_str);
-  eh = TEL_curl_easy_get (mh->url);
+  eh = TALER_EXCHANGE_curl_easy_get_ (mh->url);
   if (GNUNET_OK !=
       TALER_curl_easy_post (&mh->ctx,
                             eh,
diff --git a/src/lib/exchange_api_recoup.c b/src/lib/exchange_api_recoup.c
index a31d5b40a..013d480b0 100644
--- a/src/lib/exchange_api_recoup.c
+++ b/src/lib/exchange_api_recoup.c
@@ -389,7 +389,7 @@ TALER_EXCHANGE_recoup (struct TALER_EXCHANGE_Handle *exchange,
   ph->url = TEAH_path_to_url (exchange,
                               arg_str);
   ph->was_refreshed = was_refreshed;
-  eh = TEL_curl_easy_get (ph->url);
+  eh = TALER_EXCHANGE_curl_easy_get_ (ph->url);
   if (GNUNET_OK !=
       TALER_curl_easy_post (&ph->ctx,
                             eh,
diff --git a/src/lib/exchange_api_refreshes_reveal.c b/src/lib/exchange_api_refreshes_reveal.c
index 96aafbda8..20e196733 100644
--- a/src/lib/exchange_api_refreshes_reveal.c
+++ b/src/lib/exchange_api_refreshes_reveal.c
@@ -461,7 +461,7 @@ TALER_EXCHANGE_refreshes_reveal (struct TALER_EXCHANGE_Handle *exchange,
   rrh->url = TEAH_path_to_url (rrh->exchange,
                                arg_str);
 
-  eh = TEL_curl_easy_get (rrh->url);
+  eh = TALER_EXCHANGE_curl_easy_get_ (rrh->url);
   if (GNUNET_OK !=
       TALER_curl_easy_post (&rrh->ctx,
                             eh,
diff --git a/src/lib/exchange_api_refund.c b/src/lib/exchange_api_refund.c
index e986f1020..8c50c80b8 100644
--- a/src/lib/exchange_api_refund.c
+++ b/src/lib/exchange_api_refund.c
@@ -387,7 +387,7 @@ TALER_EXCHANGE_refund2 (struct TALER_EXCHANGE_Handle *exchange,
   TALER_amount_hton (&rh->depconf.refund_fee,
                      refund_fee);
 
-  eh = TEL_curl_easy_get (rh->url);
+  eh = TALER_EXCHANGE_curl_easy_get_ (rh->url);
   if (GNUNET_OK !=
       TALER_curl_easy_post (&rh->ctx,
                             eh,
diff --git a/src/lib/exchange_api_reserves_get.c b/src/lib/exchange_api_reserves_get.c
index 62e28f05e..37adace57 100644
--- a/src/lib/exchange_api_reserves_get.c
+++ b/src/lib/exchange_api_reserves_get.c
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ TALER_EXCHANGE_reserves_get (struct TALER_EXCHANGE_Handle *exchange,
   rgh->reserve_pub = *reserve_pub;
   rgh->url = TEAH_path_to_url (exchange,
                                arg_str);
-  eh = TEL_curl_easy_get (rgh->url);
+  eh = TALER_EXCHANGE_curl_easy_get_ (rgh->url);
   ctx = TEAH_handle_to_context (exchange);
   rgh->job = GNUNET_CURL_job_add (ctx,
                                   eh,
diff --git a/src/lib/exchange_api_transfers_get.c b/src/lib/exchange_api_transfers_get.c
index 8ea8918ca..25a1fea84 100644
--- a/src/lib/exchange_api_transfers_get.c
+++ b/src/lib/exchange_api_transfers_get.c
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ TALER_EXCHANGE_transfers_get (struct TALER_EXCHANGE_Handle *exchange,
   }
   wdh->url = TEAH_path_to_url (wdh->exchange,
                                arg_str);
-  eh = TEL_curl_easy_get (wdh->url);
+  eh = TALER_EXCHANGE_curl_easy_get_ (wdh->url);
   ctx = TEAH_handle_to_context (exchange);
   wdh->job = GNUNET_CURL_job_add (ctx,
                                   eh,
diff --git a/src/lib/exchange_api_wire.c b/src/lib/exchange_api_wire.c
index 123f77e13..81b9f4304 100644
--- a/src/lib/exchange_api_wire.c
+++ b/src/lib/exchange_api_wire.c
@@ -407,7 +407,7 @@ TALER_EXCHANGE_wire (struct TALER_EXCHANGE_Handle *exchange,
   wh->cb_cls = wire_cb_cls;
   wh->url = TEAH_path_to_url (exchange, "/wire");
 
-  eh = TEL_curl_easy_get (wh->url);
+  eh = TALER_EXCHANGE_curl_easy_get_ (wh->url);
   ctx = TEAH_handle_to_context (exchange);
   wh->job = GNUNET_CURL_job_add (ctx,
                                  eh,
diff --git a/src/lib/exchange_api_withdraw.c b/src/lib/exchange_api_withdraw.c
index c63235377..e7be4153e 100644
--- a/src/lib/exchange_api_withdraw.c
+++ b/src/lib/exchange_api_withdraw.c
@@ -426,7 +426,7 @@ reserve_withdraw_internal (struct TALER_EXCHANGE_Handle *exchange,
   wh->ps = *ps;
   wh->url = TEAH_path_to_url (exchange,
                               arg_str);
-  eh = TEL_curl_easy_get (wh->url);
+  eh = TALER_EXCHANGE_curl_easy_get_ (wh->url);
   if (GNUNET_OK !=
       TALER_curl_easy_post (&wh->ctx,
                             eh,