Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessObtain valid OpenEMR credentials via phishing or stuffing
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DeliveryPOST to unauthenticated /oauth2/registration to register attacker-controlled client
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ExploitSubmit password grant with user credentials and new client ID
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ExecutionReceive API bearer token with no MFA challenge
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ImpactQuery FHIR API to access or exfiltrate patient health records
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A07:2025 - Authentication Failures
ASVS 5.0
V6 - Authentication Multi-factor authentication
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| Exploitation Conditions | Valid OpenEMR username and password credentials are required - without them, the password grant will fail and no token is issued; fully unauthenticated exploitation is not possible. The OAuth2 SMART on FHIR feature must be enabled in the OpenEMR deployment (common in interoperability-focused installations but not universal in all configurations). The dynamic client registration endpoint must be reachable from the attacker's network position - internet-facing OpenEMR instances are at highest risk, while intranet-only deployments require network proximity or prior foothold. The bypass is only meaningful when MFA is enforced on web logins; without MFA configured, valid credentials already grant access and no additional bypass is needed. Exploitation is limited to OpenEMR 8.2.0 and earlier. The CVSS 4.0 vector (PR:L) confirms low-privilege (credentialed) access is required; no user interaction by any other party is needed once credentials are in hand. |
| Impact | The CVSS 4.0 score of 8.6 (AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N) accurately reflects the threat profile: network-exploitable, low complexity, requiring only valid user credentials, with high confidentiality and integrity impact on the vulnerable system. No EPSS data was provided in the available intelligence, and the vulnerability is not currently listed in CISA KEV - however, a public proof-of-concept with step-by-step documentation is available from JivaSecurity, substantially lowering the barrier for exploitation. Real-world risk is elevated beyond raw score for several reasons: OpenEMR handles highly regulated PHI under HIPAA, the bypass is architectural rather than incidental meaning it cannot be mitigated by simply tightening MFA settings, and credential stuffing or phishing campaigns targeting healthcare staff are common. The primary limiting factor - that valid user credentials are required - is a genuine constraint that reduces exposure compared to a fully unauthenticated attack; however, this constraint is routinely overcome in healthcare targeting scenarios. No conflict between CVSS vector and description was identified; PR:L accurately reflects the credential prerequisite confirmed in the description. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker who has obtained valid OpenEMR credentials - through phishing, credential stuffing against a reused password, or insider access - sends an unauthenticated HTTP POST to the dynamic client registration endpoint to self-register a malicious OAuth2 client, then immediately submits a password grant request using the new client credentials combined with the stolen user credentials, receiving a valid API access token without any MFA challenge. With the bearer token in hand, the attacker queries the OpenEMR FHIR API to read or exfiltrate patient records, modify clinical data, or pivot to further access. The JivaSecurity public writeup documents this exact sequence with working request examples. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Aug 03, 2026
OpenEMR through 8.2.0 exposes an OAuth2 password grant pathway that fully bypasses multi-factor authentication for any user with valid credentials, because the unauthenticated dynamic client registration endpoint allows an attacker to mint a first-party OAuth2 client and exchange legitimate credentials for an API access token without triggering the MFA challenge enforced on the normal web login interface. Any organization using OpenEMR's MFA controls to protect sensitive patient health information (PHI) is exposed: the control is structurally bypassed at the OAuth2 layer regardless of how MFA is configured in the web UI. A detailed public proof-of-concept writeup from JivaSecurity documents the full exploit flow, confirmed by VulnCheck advisory; no KEV listing has been observed at time of analysis.
RemediationAI
No vendor-released patch with a confirmed fix version is identified in the available intelligence at time of analysis; administrators should monitor the VulnCheck advisory at https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openemr-oauth2-password-grant-authentication-bypass-via-smart-configuration and the official OpenEMR project for a patched release. As an immediate compensating control, restrict network-level access to the OAuth2 dynamic client registration endpoint (typically /oauth2/registration) via firewall rules or a reverse proxy ACL, accepting the trade-off that any external SMART on FHIR applications relying on dynamic registration will break. If dynamic client registration is not required for active integrations, disable it in the OAuth2 configuration entirely - this eliminates the bypass path with minimal operational impact. If the password grant flow itself can be disabled in favor of authorization code flow with PKCE, doing so removes the mechanism abused for MFA bypass while preserving most EHR integration patterns, though legacy integrations may require updates. Audit OAuth2 access token issuance logs for anomalous patterns, specifically tokens issued via the password grant type from unfamiliar client IDs, as indicators of in-progress abuse.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 1 package in euvd
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Technical ContextAI · show details
OpenEMR is an open-source electronic health records and practice management platform that implements OAuth2 for API access, aligned with SMART on FHIR healthcare interoperability standards. SMART on FHIR requires dynamic client registration (RFC 7591) so third-party EHR apps can self-register; OpenEMR exposes this endpoint without authentication, as the specification allows. The root cause is CWE-308 (Use of Single-factor Authentication in a Multi-factor Context): the system maintains two distinct authentication paths - the hardened web login (which enforces MFA) and the OAuth2 password grant (which does not) - and fails to reconcile their security postures. An attacker can therefore use the weaker path to obtain a fully valid API token. The affected product is identified by CPE cpe:2.3:a:openemr:openemr:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* covering all versions through 8.2.0.
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Severity by source
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Network-reachable endpoint exploitable with valid credentials only (PR:L, AC:L); high confidentiality and integrity impact on PHI; no availability impact or scope change observed.
Primary rating from Vendor (VulnCheck).
CVSS VectorVendor: VulnCheck
DescriptionCVE.org
OpenEMR through 8.2.0 contains an authentication bypass vulnerability that allows attackers with valid credentials to circumvent multi-factor authentication by exploiting the exposed OAuth2 password grant flow through an unauthenticated client registration endpoint. Attackers can register an OAuth2 client via the unauthenticated registration endpoint and use the password grant to exchange credentials for an API access token, bypassing the normal web interface authentication and any enforced multi-factor authentication controls.
Executive ViewAI
OpenEMR through version 8.2.0 contains a critical OAuth2 implementation flaw that completely bypasses multi-factor authentication (MFA) for any user with valid credentials, exposing protected health information (PHI) regardless of MFA configuration. Organizations relying on OpenEMR for patient data management face immediate HIPAA compliance violations and breach liability. With detailed public exploit code documented, this vulnerability requires urgent remediation.
No vendor-released patch identified at time of analysis. Interim mitigations include: (1) Disable OAuth2 password grant flow in OpenEMR configuration if compatible with clinical workflows; (2) Restrict dynamic client registration via firewall rules blocking unauthenticated POST requests to registration endpoints; (3) Implement WAF rules on reverse proxies to block client registration requests; (4) Require network segmentation restricting OAuth2 endpoints to known, trusted networks only; (5) Enable comprehensive audit logging of all API token exchanges and require SOC review for anomalous access patterns; (6) Deploy endpoint detection and response tools to flag unauthorized PHI access. These controls are temporary measures pending vendor patch release or platform remediation.
Threat Intelligence Overview
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.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
Attack Technique
Authentication bypass attacks exploit flaws in the verification mechanisms that control access to systems and applications.
An authenticated SQL injection vulnerability exists in OpenEMR ≤ 4.1.1 Patch 14 that allows a low-privileged attacker to
Unauthenticated token disclosure in OpenEMR before 8.0.0. CVSS 10.0. PoC and patch available.
Path traversal in OpenEMR 7.0.4 disposeDocument() allows file access. PoC available.
Path traversal in OpenEMR electronic health records before fix allows authenticated users to read arbitrary files on the
SQL injection in OpenEMR electronic health records before fix. Authenticated users can execute arbitrary SQL through the
OpenEMR 7.0.2 is vulnerable to SQL Injection via \openemr\library\classes\Pharmacy.class.php, \controllers\C_Pharmacy.cl
An issue in OpenEMR 7.0.2 allows a remote attacker to escalate privileges viaa crafted POST request using the noteid par
Information disclosure in OpenEMR 5.0.2 to before 8.0.0 exposes sensitive data. PoC and patch available.
Remote code execution in OpenEMR through 8.2.0 lets an authenticated administrator poison the document category tree so
interface/fax/fax_dispatch.php in OpenEMR 4.1.0 allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary commands via shel
interface/globals.php in OpenEMR 2.x, 3.x, and 4.x before 4.2.0 patch 2 allows remote attackers to bypass authentication
Authentication bypass vulnerability in portal/account/register.php in versions of OpenEMR before 5.0.1.4 allows a remote
EUVD-2026-52348
GHSA-g6r6-jr7g-hg95
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Vulnrichment
VulDB
Exploit-DB