Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessAttacker holds valid Syncope account
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DeliveryAuthenticates successfully, obtains JWT
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ExploitDiscovers JWKS signing key via leaked config or endpoint
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ExecutionCrafts spoofed JWT asserting target user identity
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PersistPresents forged token to Syncope API
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ImpactOperates with target user's full privileges
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A07:2025 - Authentication Failures
ASVS 5.0
V6 - Authentication Anti-spoofing controls
MITRE ATT&CK
1 technique across 1 tactic: Defense Evasion The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up. |
| Exploitation Conditions | Two specific conditions must both be met: (1) The attacker must hold valid credentials for at least one Syncope account and complete a successful authentication to obtain a legitimate JWT - unauthenticated exploitation is not possible. (2) The internal JWKS configuration used for JWT signing must have been disclosed to the attacker, specifically the signing protocol and the key material; this is a non-default exposure that requires a separate information leak (misconfigured endpoint, logging, config dump, etc.). Exploitation is limited to deployments using Syncope's internal JWT authentication mode (as opposed to delegating authentication entirely to an external IdP). The 3.0.x, 4.0.x (pre-4.0.8), and 4.1.x (pre-4.1.3) version ranges are the specific version constraint. |
| Impact | No vendor-supplied CVSS vector is provided for this CVE, so risk must be inferred from the description. The attack requires two non-trivial preconditions: (1) the attacker must possess valid credentials and complete a successful authentication to obtain a legitimate JWT, and (2) the JWKS settings (at minimum signing protocol and key material) must have been disclosed - a configuration-level information leak that is not the default state. These preconditions place real-world attack complexity firmly in the High range despite the severe impact of full privilege spoofing. EPSS data is absent from the input. KEV status is not confirmed. Because Syncope is a centralized identity platform, successful exploitation yields administrative-level access to all managed identities and downstream provisioned systems, making the consequence severe even if the probability is constrained by prerequisites. This is a genuine security issue warranting prompt patching, but the multi-step prerequisite chain limits realistic exploitability relative to a raw privilege-escalation score would suggest. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker with a valid Syncope account authenticates normally and obtains a legitimate JWT. They separately obtain the internal JWKS signing key - for example, via an exposed configuration endpoint, a misconfigured admin API, or a prior credential leak - then craft a new JWT asserting the identity of a Syncope administrator. Presenting this forged token, they gain full administrative access to the IGA platform and all provisioned downstream systems without knowing the admin's password. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Sep 14, 2026
JWT privilege-spoofing in Apache Syncope allows an authenticated attacker to impersonate any other user if the internal JWKS configuration (at minimum the signing protocol and key) has been disclosed. The attacker must first complete a legitimate authentication and obtain a valid JWT, then leverage the disclosed JWKS material to forge tokens carrying another user's identity claims. No public exploit has been identified at time of analysis, and no CISA KEV listing exists, but the impact is complete horizontal and vertical privilege escalation within the identity governance platform.
RemediationAI
Upgrade Apache Syncope to version 4.0.8 or 4.1.3, which are the vendor-confirmed fixed releases per the Apache mailing list advisory at https://lists.apache.org/thread/3t3om8mny7ng52q053pdzpmtdtosnqoo. For the 3.0.x branch, no patched version is announced; operators should migrate to a supported 4.x release. As a compensating control pending upgrade, harden JWKS confidentiality: restrict access to any endpoint or configuration path that exposes the JWKS signing key material, rotate the signing key immediately if disclosure is suspected, and audit whether any logging, API response, or administrative endpoint inadvertently reveals JWKS parameters. Restricting internal JWT key material from being exposed in admin UIs, REST responses, or log files directly eliminates the prerequisite for this attack.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 1 package in euvd
Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.
Technical ContextAI · show details
Apache Syncope is a Java-based open-source Identity Governance and Administration (IGA) platform used for user provisioning and access management. Its internal JWT authentication relies on a configured JSON Web Key Set (JWKS) to sign and validate tokens. CWE-290 (Authentication Bypass by Spoofing) applies: when the JWKS signing parameters are known to an attacker, they can construct a cryptographically valid JWT asserting a different user's claims without knowing that user's credentials. The affected CPE is cpe:2.3:a:apache_software_foundation:apache_syncope covering versions 3.0.0-M0 through 3.0.16, 4.0.0-M0 through 4.0.7, and 4.1.0-M0 through 4.1.2.
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Severity by source
AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
Network vector; AC:H for JWKS disclosure prerequisite; PR:L because valid authentication is required before spoofing is possible; no availability impact.
Primary rating from Vendor (apache).
CVSS VectorVendor: apache
Lifecycle Timeline
1DescriptionCVE.org
Authentication bypass by spoofing vulnerability in Apache Syncope.
When the configured JWKS settings for internal JWT authentication are disclosed (at least protocol and key), an attacker can spoof another user's privileges after completing a successful authentication and obtaining a valid JWT.
This issue affects Apache Syncope: from 3.0.0-M0 through 3.0.16, from 4.0.0-M0 through 4.0.7, from 4.1.0-M0 through 4.1.2.
Users are recommended to upgrade to version 4.0.8 / 4.1.3, which fix this issue.
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-2026-77368
GHSA-v8g7-44pf-w6m4
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Vulnrichment
Exploit-DB