Apache CXF: Authentication bypass via weak cache keys for validated STS tokens
Summary
| CVE | CVE-2026-97468 |
|---|---|
| State | PUBLISHED |
| Assigner | apache |
| Source Priority | CVE Program / NVD first with legacy fallback |
| Published | 2026-10-09 11:17:03 UTC |
| Updated | 2026-10-20 12:40:41 UTC |
| Description | Apache CXF's STSTokenValidator and Security Token Service (STS) cached validated security tokens under a non-cryptographic 32-bit hash of the token (Java Arrays.hashCode/hashCode()), and treated a cache hit as proof that the presented token had already been validated. An attacker could craft a token (for example a UsernameToken or a self-signed SAML Assertion) whose hash collides with a cached entry. The token would then be accepted without password validation, signature trust verification or a call to the STS. This could let the attacker authenticate as another user and, through STS token validation or renewal, obtain STS-signed tokens for that identity. Users are recommended to upgrade to versions 4.2.4 or 4.1.9 or 3.6.13, which fix this issue. |
Risk And Classification
Primary CVSS: v3.1 9.1 CRITICAL from ADP
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
EPSS: 0.001730000 probability, percentile 0.062360000 (date 2026-10-11)
Problem Types: CWE-328 | CWE-328 CWE-328 Use of Weak Hash
| Version | Source | Type | Score | Severity | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | ADP | DECLARED | 9.1 | CRITICAL | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N |
| 3.1 | 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 | Secondary | 9.1 | CRITICAL | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N |
CVSS v3.1 Breakdown
Attack Vector
NetworkAttack Complexity
LowPrivileges Required
NoneUser Interaction
NoneScope
UnchangedConfidentiality
HighIntegrity
HighAvailability
NoneCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
NVD Known Affected Configurations (CPE 2.3)
Vendor Declared Affected Products
| Source | Vendor | Product | Version | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CNA | Apache Software Foundation | Apache CXF | affected 4.2.0 4.2.4 semver | Not specified |
| CNA | Apache Software Foundation | Apache CXF | affected 4.0.0 4.1.9 semver | Not specified |
| CNA | Apache Software Foundation | Apache CXF | affected 3.6.13 semver | Not specified |
References
| Reference | Source | Link | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|
| www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/10/09/9 | af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108 | www.openwall.com | Mailing List, Third Party Advisory |
| lists.apache.org/thread.html/qthbnsyhqsxhl9p2h9v5dg4mnwv1b9r6 | [email protected] | lists.apache.org | Issue Tracking, Vendor Advisory |
| CVE Program record | CVE.ORG | www.cve.org | canonical |
| NVD vulnerability detail | NVD | nvd.nist.gov | canonical, analysis |
Vendor Comments And Credit
Discovery Credit
CNA: MopMonk-AI (en)
There are currently no legacy QID mappings associated with this CVE.