Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessSelf-register user on WSO2 Identity Server
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DeliveryRequest token from IS token endpoint
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ExploitMissing authorization accepts token for APIM
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ExecutionInvoke System REST APIs as admin
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ImpactCompromise API Manager configuration and data
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A01:2025 - Broken Access Control
ASVS 5.0
V8 - Authorization Authorization checks on every request
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. |
| Exploitation Conditions | Exploitation is gated to a specific non-default architecture: WSO2 Identity Server deployed as a Resident Key Manager AND sharing a database with WSO2 API Manager. Under that configuration, an attacker must obtain a valid user account - the description specifies a self-registered user - and acquire a token from the Identity Server token endpoint, which is then improperly honored for the API Manager System REST APIs. Limiting factors: deployments not using the Resident Key Manager mode or not sharing a database are not affected; if self-registration is disabled the attacker cannot trivially obtain the starting account; the official CVSS marks PR:N but the described flow requires a self-registered identity, so authentication requirements beyond self-registration should be verified against the vendor advisory. |
| Impact | The input CVSS of 9.8 (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) rates this as critical with network vector, low complexity, no privileges and no user interaction. However, this raw score must be weighed against a strong limiting signal in the description: the flaw only affects deployments where WSO2 Identity Server is configured as a Resident Key Manager with database sharing - a specific, non-default architecture - so the real-world attack surface is narrower than a flat 9.8 implies. There is a signal conflict worth noting: the CVSS vector claims PR:N (unauthenticated), yet the description says a 'self-registered user' obtains the token, implying the attacker must first create an account via self-registration; where self-registration is open this is effectively unauthenticated, but where it is disabled the precondition is not met. The vendor-assigned priority is act_now, which keeps this urgent for affected operators. No EPSS score, no CISA KEV listing, and no public exploit reference are present in the supplied data, so there is no evidence of active exploitation or published exploit code - the urgency here derives from the vendor decision label and critical impact, not from observed exploitation. Net assessment: a genuine high priority for the subset of environments running the affected Resident Key Manager + shared-database configuration, and a lower practical concern for deployments not using that mode. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | In an environment where WSO2 Identity Server runs as a Resident Key Manager sharing a database with WSO2 API Manager, an attacker creates a self-registered user account and requests an OAuth token from the Identity Server token endpoint. Because authorization is not properly enforced across the shared deployment, that token is accepted for the System (admin-level) REST APIs of WSO2 API Manager, granting the low-privilege user administrative API access. No public proof-of-concept or exploit code is referenced in the available data. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Nov 03, 2026
Authentication bypass in WSO2 API Manager allows a self-registered user to gain access to the product's System REST APIs when WSO2 Identity Server is configured as a Resident Key Manager with a shared database. The vendor rates this 9.8 critical (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H), but the assessed vector is PR:L because the described flow starts from a self-registered account; a token obtained from the Identity Server token endpoint is improperly honored by API Manager. Affected deployments are limited to that Resident Key Manager plus database-sharing architecture; no public exploit identified at time of analysis.
RemediationAI
Apply the vendor fix referenced by WSO2 security advisory WSO2-2026-5212 (https://security.docs.wso2.com/en/latest/security-announcements/security-advisories/2026/WSO2-2026-5212/); the supplied data does not state an exact fixed version, so confirm the patched release in the advisory before upgrading. Where the Resident Key Manager with shared database is not required, reconfigure to avoid that architecture by separating the databases or using a different key manager configuration; this removes the vulnerable authorization path but changes identity and key-management integration. If self-registration is not required, disable it to prevent trivial creation of the starting account; the trade-off is that legitimate self-service onboarding stops, and existing self-registered accounts remain a concern. Validate authentication requirements against the advisory because the vendor CVSS lists PR:N while the assessed vector is PR:L.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 3 packages in euvd
Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.
Technical ContextAI · show details
CWE-862 (Missing Authorization) is the root-cause class: the API Manager System REST APIs do not adequately authorize tokens obtained from the Identity Server token endpoint in the Resident Key Manager with shared-database deployment. The relevant components per CPE are WSO2 API Manager, WSO2 API Control Plane, and the WSO2 Identity Server Key Manager Connector (apim-km-wso2is), which integrates API Manager with Identity Server as key manager. In the described configuration, a self-registered user authenticates to the Identity Server token endpoint and the resulting token is accepted by API Manager system APIs beyond the user's intended privileges. The supplied evidence does not describe a memory-safety or injection mechanism; the trigger is the authorization decision in the shared-database Resident Key Manager setup. The CVSS discrepancy (vendor PR:N versus assessed PR:L) should be resolved against the advisory, because the assessed flow requires a self-registered identity.
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Severity by source
AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Requires a self-registered account (PR:L) rather than true PR:N; deployment preconditions are configuration state not attacker-side conditions so AC:L, with full admin API access yielding C:H/I:H/A:H.
Primary rating from Vendor (WSO2).
CVSS VectorVendor: WSO2
Lifecycle Timeline
2DescriptionCVE.org
This issue only impacts deployments where WSO2 Identity Server is configured as a Resident Key Manager with database sharing. In such environments, a self-registered user may gain access to the System REST APIs of WSO2 API Manager by obtaining a token from the WSO2 Identity Server token endpoint.
Executive ViewAI
CVE-2026-4052 is a critical authentication bypass in WSO2 API Manager that could allow a self-registered user to gain unauthorized access to System REST APIs. Organizations using WSO2 Identity Server as a Resident Key Manager with a shared database are at risk, potentially leading to full compromise of API management controls. Leadership should prioritize immediate assessment and mitigation due to the high potential for data breach and service disruption.
No vendor-released patch identified at time of analysis. Interim mitigations include disabling self-registration, restricting network access to System REST APIs, and isolating the shared database to reduce exposure.
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.
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EUVD-2026-115721
GHSA-w63q-qmf7-22jw
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
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