Skip to main content

Oauth2 Proxy CVE-2021-21411

MEDIUM
Incorrect Authorization (CWE-863)
2021-03-26 security-advisories@github.com
5.5
CVSS 3.1 · NVD
View

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A01:2025 - Broken Access Control
ASVS 5.0
V8 - Authorization Authorization logic validation
MITRE ATT&CK

1 technique across 1 tactic: Privilege Escalation

The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up.

Impact

CVSS score of 5.5 (MEDIUM). Attack characteristics: network attack vector, low complexity, high privileges required, no user interaction not required.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

A remote attacker could bypass authorization checks to access restricted resources by sending crafted requests to the affected application.

This Month Plan within 30 days. Why: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9).
Patch available 1.0% exploitation probability (EPSS)

Get an e-mail when this CVE is exploited, patched or re-scored. Free account.

Alert me

AnalysisAI

OAuth2-Proxy is an open source reverse proxy that provides authentication with Google, Github or other providers. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, low attack complexity. This Incorrect Authorization vulnerability could allow attackers to bypass authorization checks to access restricted resources.

RemediationAI

A vendor patch is available. Apply the latest security update as soon as possible. Review and test authorization logic, implement consistent access control checks, use centralized authorization framework.

Affected Packages

go github.com/oauth2-proxy/oauth2-proxy no fix
go github.com/oauth2-proxy/oauth2-proxy/v7 fix: 7.1.0

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 2 packages in go

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

This vulnerability is classified as Incorrect Authorization (CWE-863), which allows attackers to bypass authorization checks to access restricted resources. OAuth2-Proxy is an open source reverse proxy that provides authentication with Google, Github or other providers. The --gitlab-group flag for group-based authorization in the GitLab provider stopped working in the v7.0.0 release. Regardless of the flag settings, authorization wasn't restricted. Additionally, any authenticated users had whichever groups were set in --gitlab-group added to the new X-Forwarded-Groups header to the upstream application. While adding GitLab project based authorization support in #630, a bug was introduced where the user session's groups field was populated with the --gitlab-group config entries instead of pulling the individual user's group membership from the GitLab Userinfo endpoint. When the session groups where compared against the allowed groups for authorization, they matched improperly (since both lists were populated with the same data) so authorization was allowed. This impacts GitLab Provider users who relies on group membership for authorization restrictions. Any authenticated users in your GitLab environment can access your applications regardless of --gitlab-group membership restrictions. This is patched in v7.1.0. There is no workaround for the Group membership bug. But --gitlab-project can be set to use Project membership as the authorization checks instead of groups; it is not broken. Affected products include: Oauth2 Proxy Project Oauth2 Proxy.

Know when Oauth2 Proxy gets its next vulnerability

  • Watch products and get an email when something new is published
  • Check this CVE against your own stack and servers
  • Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources

No credit card · 7-day full trial

Severity by source

NVD PRIMARY 5.5 MEDIUM
AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N

Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.

CVSS VectorNVD

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
High
User Interaction
None
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
Low
Availability
None

DescriptionNVD

OAuth2-Proxy is an open source reverse proxy that provides authentication with Google, Github or other providers. The --gitlab-group flag for group-based authorization in the GitLab provider stopped working in the v7.0.0 release. Regardless of the flag settings, authorization wasn't restricted. Additionally, any authenticated users had whichever groups were set in --gitlab-group added to the new X-Forwarded-Groups header to the upstream application. While adding GitLab project based authorization support in #630, a bug was introduced where the user session's groups field was populated with the --gitlab-group config entries instead of pulling the individual user's group membership from the GitLab Userinfo endpoint. When the session groups where compared against the allowed groups for authorization, they matched improperly (since both lists were populated with the same data) so authorization was allowed. This impacts GitLab Provider users who relies on group membership for authorization restrictions. Any authenticated users in your GitLab environment can access your applications regardless of --gitlab-group membership restrictions. This is patched in v7.1.0. There is no workaround for the Group membership bug. But --gitlab-project can be set to use Project membership as the authorization checks instead of groups; it is not broken.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
1.0%
Top 42% exploitable
Data Quality
3 sources
Confidence: Low

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity MEDIUM
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 1.0%
Patch available Yes
Active threat No
Deciding rule
MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision· derived
Scheduled
Exploitation· derived
None
System Exposure· derived
Open
Automatable· derived
No
Human Impact· derived
Medium

Priority Score

29
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: +1
CVSS: +28
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Authentication bypass attacks exploit flaws in the verification mechanisms that control access to systems and applications.

Affected Products (CPE)NVD

cpe:2.3:a:oauth2_proxy_project:oauth2_proxy:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
CVE-2026-76835 CRITICAL POC
9.3 Aug 24

Authentication bypass in OAuth2 Proxy (versions 7.5.0 up to but excluding 7.15.2) lets an unauthenticated remote attacke

CVE-2021-21291 MEDIUM POC
6.1 Feb 02

OAuth2 Proxy is an open-source reverse proxy and static file server that provides authentication using Providers (Google

CVE-2020-5233 MEDIUM POC
6.1 Jan 30

OAuth2 Proxy before 5.0 has an open redirect vulnerability. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.1), this vulnerability is remo

CVE-2026-34457 CRITICAL
9.1 Apr 14

Authentication bypass in OAuth2 Proxy versions before 7.15.2 allows remote unauthenticated attackers to access protected

CVE-2017-1000069 HIGH
8.8 Jul 17

CSRF in Bitly oauth2_proxy 2.1 during authentication flow. Rated high severity (CVSS 8.8), this vulnerability is remotel

CVE-2026-41059 HIGH
8.2 Apr 21

Authentication bypass in OAuth2 Proxy 7.5.0-7.15.1 allows remote unauthenticated attackers to access protected resources

CVE-2017-1000070 MEDIUM
6.1 Jul 17

The Bitly oauth2_proxy in version 2.1 and earlier was affected by an open redirect vulnerability during the start and te

CVE-2020-11053 MEDIUM
6.1 May 07

In OAuth2 Proxy before 5.1.1, there is an open redirect vulnerability. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.1), this vulnerabil

CVE-2020-4037 MEDIUM
5.4 Jun 29

In OAuth2 Proxy from version 5.1.1 and less than version 6.0.0, users can provide a redirect address for the proxy to se

CVE-2026-34454 LOW
3.5 Apr 14

OAuth2 Proxy versions 7.11.0 through 7.15.1 fail to clear the session cookie when rendering the sign-in page due to a re

This site uses cookies essential for authentication and security. No tracking or analytics cookies are used. Privacy Policy