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Authentik CVE-2023-26481

MEDIUM
Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity (CWE-345)
2023-03-04 security-advisories@github.com
6.5
CVSS 3.1 · NVD
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Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A08:2025 - Software or Data Integrity Failures
ASVS 5.0
V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Data authenticity verification
Impact

CVSS score of 6.5 (MEDIUM). Attack characteristics: network attack vector, low complexity, no privileges required, user interaction required.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

This vulnerability can be exploited remotely over the network. Successful exploitation could compromise the medium-severity affected system.

This Month Plan within 30 days. Why: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9).
No patch listed yet 0.3% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAI

authentik is an open-source Identity Provider. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.

RemediationAI

No vendor patch is available at time of analysis. Monitor vendor advisories for updates. Apply vendor patches when available. Implement network segmentation and monitoring as interim mitigations.

Affects your stack

Find out whether the stacks and servers you run are on an affected version.

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Technical ContextAI · show details

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-345. authentik is an open-source Identity Provider. Due to an insufficient access check, a recovery flow link that is created by an admin (or sent via email by an admin) can be used to set the password for any arbitrary user. This attack is only possible if a recovery flow exists, which has both an Identification and an Email stage bound to it. If the flow has policies on the identification stage to skip it when the flow is restored (by checking request.context['is_restored']), the flow is not affected by this. With this flow in place, an administrator must create a recovery Link or send a recovery URL to the attacker, who can, due to the improper validation of the token create, set the password for any account. Regardless, for custom recovery flows it is recommended to add a policy that checks if the flow is restored, and skips the identification stage. This issue has been fixed in versions 2023.2.3, 2023.1.3 and 2022.12.2. Affected products include: Goauthentik Authentik.

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  • Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources

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Severity by source

NVD PRIMARY 6.5 MEDIUM
AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N

Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.

CVSS VectorNVD

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

DescriptionNVD

authentik is an open-source Identity Provider. Due to an insufficient access check, a recovery flow link that is created by an admin (or sent via email by an admin) can be used to set the password for any arbitrary user. This attack is only possible if a recovery flow exists, which has both an Identification and an Email stage bound to it. If the flow has policies on the identification stage to skip it when the flow is restored (by checking request.context['is_restored']), the flow is not affected by this. With this flow in place, an administrator must create a recovery Link or send a recovery URL to the attacker, who can, due to the improper validation of the token create, set the password for any account. Regardless, for custom recovery flows it is recommended to add a policy that checks if the flow is restored, and skips the identification stage. This issue has been fixed in versions 2023.2.3, 2023.1.3 and 2022.12.2.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.3%
Top 81% 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 0.3%
Patch available No
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

32
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +32
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Information disclosure occurs when an application unintentionally exposes sensitive data that aids attackers in reconnaissance or directly compromises security.

Affected Products (CPE)NVD

cpe:2.3:a:goauthentik:authentik:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:goauthentik:authentik:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:goauthentik:authentik:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
CVE-2023-48228 CRITICAL POC
9.8 Nov 21

authentik is an open-source identity provider. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.8), this vulnerability is remotely exploi

CVE-2022-23555 HIGH POC
8.8 Dec 28

authentik is an open-source Identity Provider focused on flexibility and versatility. Rated high severity (CVSS 8.8), th

CVE-2022-46172 MEDIUM POC
6.4 Dec 28

authentik is an open-source Identity provider focused on flexibility and versatility. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.4),

CVE-2026-49448 CRITICAL
9.8 Jun 02

Authentication bypass in authentik identity provider (versions prior to 2025.12.6, 2026.2.4, and 2026.5.1) allows remote

CVE-2024-38371 CRITICAL
9.8 Jun 28

authentik is an open-source Identity Provider. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.8), this vulnerability is remotely exploi

CVE-2023-46249 CRITICAL
9.8 Oct 31

authentik is an open-source Identity Provider. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.8), this vulnerability is remotely exploi

CVE-2022-46145 CRITICAL
9.8 Dec 02

authentik is an open-source identity provider. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.8), this vulnerability is remotely exploi

CVE-2025-52553 CRITICAL
9.6 Jun 27

authentik is an open-source identity provider. After authorizing access to a RAC endpoint, authentik creates a token whi

CVE-2026-57580 CRITICAL
9.4 Aug 18

Account takeover in authentik (goauthentik) identity provider before 2026.2.6 and 2026.5.5 allows an attacker holding an

CVE-2026-42849 CRITICAL
9.3 Jun 02

Cross-site scripting in authentik identity provider versions prior to 2025.12.5 and 2026.2.3 allows remote attackers to

CVE-2026-25227 CRITICAL
9.1 Feb 12

Code injection in authentik identity provider from 2021.3.1 through multiple versions. Users with delegated permissions

CVE-2024-47070 CRITICAL
9.0 Sep 27

authentik is an open-source identity provider. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.0), this vulnerability is remotely exploi

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