CVSS VectorNVD
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
Lifecycle Timeline
6DescriptionNVD
Ghidra before 12.1 contains an authentication bypass vulnerability in PKIAuthenticationModule.authenticate() that allows any user with a valid CA-signed certificate to impersonate other users by presenting their public certificate with a null signature. Attackers can escalate privileges, modify repository access controls, exfiltrate shared reverse engineering databases, and permanently compromise server integrity.
AnalysisAI
Authentication bypass in NSA Ghidra versions prior to 12.1 allows any holder of a valid CA-signed certificate to impersonate arbitrary users by submitting their public certificate alongside a null signature to PKIAuthenticationModule.authenticate(). Successful exploitation yields privilege escalation, tampering of repository access controls, exfiltration of shared reverse-engineering databases, and persistent compromise of the Ghidra server. …
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Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata
Vulnerability AssessmentAI
| Exploitation | Exploitation requires (1) network reachability to a Ghidra server with the PKIAuthenticationModule enabled - i.e. … Additional conditions and limiting factors are described in the full assessment. |
| Risk Assessment | CVSS 4.0 scores this 8.7 with vector AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H - network-reachable, low complexity, requires only low privileges (any valid CA-issued certificate), no user interaction, and full compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the vulnerable component. … Full risk analysis with EPSS, KEV, and SSVC signal comparison available after sign-in. |
| Exploit Scenario | An attacker who holds any certificate signed by a CA trusted by the target Ghidra server - for example a low-privileged developer cert or a leaked contractor cert - connects to the server and presents the public certificate of a Ghidra administrator together with a null cryptographic signature. PKIAuthenticationModule.authenticate() accepts the impersonation, granting the attacker admin-level access to modify repository ACLs, exfiltrate proprietary reverse-engineering project databases, and plant backdoors that survive the session. … |
| Remediation | Vendor-released patch: upgrade to Ghidra 12.1 or later, which incorporates fixes from commits 78729379e471bbb3d969409be6a8c3d24af84220 and 79d8f164f8bb8b15cfb60c5d4faeb8e1c25d15ca that enforce proper signature verification in PKIAuthenticationModule.authenticate(). … Detailed patch versions, workarounds, and compensating controls in full report. |
Recommended ActionAI
24 hours: Identify all Ghidra instances, document current versions, and review certificate authority configuration. …
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EUVD-2026-36013