Authentication Bypass
Authentication bypass attacks exploit flaws in the verification mechanisms that control access to systems and applications.
How It Works
Authentication bypass attacks exploit flaws in the verification mechanisms that control access to systems and applications. Instead of cracking passwords through brute force, attackers manipulate the authentication process itself to gain unauthorized entry. This typically occurs through one of several pathways: exploiting hardcoded credentials embedded in source code or configuration files, manipulating parameters in authentication requests to skip verification steps, or leveraging broken session management that fails to properly validate user identity.
The attack flow often begins with reconnaissance to identify authentication endpoints and their underlying logic. Attackers may probe for default administrative credentials that were never changed, test whether certain URL paths bypass login requirements entirely, or intercept and modify authentication tokens to escalate privileges. In multi-step authentication processes, flaws in state management can allow attackers to complete only partial verification steps while still gaining full access.
More sophisticated variants exploit single sign-on (SSO) or OAuth implementations where misconfigurations in trust relationships allow attackers to forge authentication assertions. Parameter tampering—such as changing a "role=user" field to "role=admin" in a request—can trick poorly designed systems into granting elevated access without proper verification.
Impact
- Complete account takeover — attackers gain full control of user accounts, including administrative accounts, without knowing legitimate credentials
- Unauthorized data access — ability to view, modify, or exfiltrate sensitive information including customer data, financial records, and intellectual property
- System-wide compromise — admin-level access enables installation of backdoors, modification of security controls, and complete infrastructure takeover
- Lateral movement — bypassed authentication provides a foothold for moving deeper into networks and accessing additional systems
- Compliance violations — unauthorized access triggers breach notification requirements and regulatory penalties
Real-World Examples
CrushFTP suffered a critical authentication bypass allowing attackers to access file-sharing functionality without any credentials. The vulnerability enabled direct server-side template injection, leading to remote code execution on affected systems. Attackers actively exploited this in the wild to establish persistent access to enterprise file servers.
Palo Alto's Expedition migration tool contained a flaw permitting attackers to reset administrative credentials without authentication. This allowed complete takeover of the migration environment, potentially exposing network configurations and security policies being transferred between systems.
SolarWinds Web Help Desk (CVE-2024-28987) shipped with hardcoded internal credentials that could not be changed through normal administrative functions. Attackers discovering these credentials gained full administrative access to helpdesk systems containing sensitive organizational information and user data.
Mitigation
- Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) — requires attackers to compromise additional verification factors beyond bypassed primary authentication
- Eliminate hardcoded credentials — use secure credential management systems and rotate all default credentials during deployment
- Enforce authentication on all endpoints — verify every request requires valid authentication; no "hidden" administrative paths should exist
- Implement proper session management — use cryptographically secure session tokens, validate on server-side, enforce timeout policies
- Apply principle of least privilege — limit damage by ensuring even authenticated users only access necessary resources
- Regular security testing — conduct penetration testing specifically targeting authentication logic and flows
Recent CVEs (37501)
Unrestricted file upload in Online Music Site 1.0's AdminUpdateCategory.php allows unauthenticated remote attackers to upload arbitrary files by manipulating the txtimage parameter. Public exploit code exists for this vulnerability, enabling potential remote code execution and system compromise. A security patch is not currently available, leaving affected installations vulnerable to active exploitation.
Wekan versions up to 8.20 contain an authorization bypass in the Rules Handler component that allows authenticated remote attackers to access unauthorized information through the rules.js file. The vulnerability requires valid credentials but no user interaction, enabling low-impact confidentiality breaches. Upgrading to version 8.21 resolves this issue.
Wekan versions up to 8.19 is affected by authorization bypass through user-controlled key (CVSS 4.3).
Advanced Country Blocker (WordPress plugin) versions up to 2.3.1 contains a security vulnerability (CVSS 5.3).
DBPower C300 HD Camera contains a configuration disclosure vulnerability that allows unauthenticated attackers to retrieve sensitive credentials through an unprotected configuration backup endpoint. [CVSS 7.5 HIGH]
ACE Security WiP-90113 HD Camera contains a configuration disclosure vulnerability that allows unauthenticated attackers to retrieve sensitive configuration files. [CVSS 7.5 HIGH]
AMSS++ 4.7 contains an authentication bypass vulnerability that allows attackers to access administrative accounts using hardcoded credentials. Attackers can log in with the default admin username and password '1234' to gain unauthorized administrative access to the system. [CVSS 7.5 HIGH]
Trilium Notes is an open-source, cross-platform hierarchical note taking application with focus on building large personal knowledge bases. [CVSS 7.4 HIGH]
DeepAudit is a multi-agent system for code vulnerability discovery. [CVSS 6.5 MEDIUM]
Smart Pixelator 2.0's Bluetooth Low Energy interface lacks proper authentication controls, allowing unauthenticated attackers on the local network to manipulate device functionality and potentially compromise confidentiality and integrity. Public exploit code exists for this vulnerability, and the vendor has not provided a patch despite early notification.
OpenProject versions prior to 17.0.2 fail to validate meeting section ownership during drag-and-drop operations, allowing authenticated users to inject agenda items into unrelated meetings. While attackers cannot access unauthorized meeting content, they can add arbitrary agenda items to other meetings to cause confusion or disrupt meeting organization. A patch is available in version 17.0.2.
Gogs versions 0.13.3 and earlier fail to enforce write permissions on the repository contents endpoint, allowing attackers with read-only access to modify files, create commits, and execute git push operations. An authenticated user possessing only read permissions can bypass authorization checks and gain unauthorized write access to repository contents. This affects self-hosted Gogs instances and has no patch currently available for affected versions.
Gophish <=0.12.1 is vulnerable to Incorrect Access Control. The administrative dashboard exposes each user’s long-lived API key directly inside the rendered HTML/JavaScript of the page on every login. [CVSS 7.6 HIGH]
Gogs is an open source self-hosted Git service. In version 0.13.3 and prior, Gogs’ 2FA recovery code validation does not scope codes by user, enabling cross-account bypass. [CVSS 8.8 HIGH]
Identity authentication bypass vulnerability in the window module. Impact: Successful exploitation of this vulnerability may affect service confidentiality. [CVSS 5.9 MEDIUM]
Collabora Online is a collaborative online office suite based on LibreOffice technology. [CVSS 5.3 MEDIUM]
Tanium addressed an improper access controls vulnerability in Reputation. [CVSS 4.3 MEDIUM]
Tanium addressed an improper input validation vulnerability in Deploy. [CVSS 8.8 HIGH]
Tanium addressed an improper access controls vulnerability in Deploy. [CVSS 4.3 MEDIUM]
Tanium addressed an improper access controls vulnerability in Patch. [CVSS 4.3 MEDIUM]
Tanium addressed an improper certificate validation vulnerability in Tanium Appliance. [CVSS 3.7 LOW]
Tanium addressed an improper access controls vulnerability in Interact. [CVSS 3.1 LOW]
The Greenshift animation and page builder plugin for WordPress (up to version 12.6) fails to properly validate user capabilities on the greenshift_app_pass_validation() function, allowing authenticated subscribers and above to extract sensitive plugin configuration including stored AI API keys and inject malicious scripts through the custom_css setting. This combination of information disclosure and stored cross-site scripting (XSS) requires only valid WordPress user credentials to exploit, with a partial patch available in version 12.6.
WeKan versions up to 8.20 contain an authorization bypass in the position history tracking functionality that allows authenticated remote attackers to access sensitive information without proper permissions. The vulnerability exists in the server/methods/positionHistory.js file and can be exploited by any user with login credentials. Upgrading to version 8.21 or later resolves this issue.
Wacom WTabletService 6.6.7-3 contains an unquoted service path vulnerability that allows local attackers to execute malicious code with elevated privileges. Attackers can insert an executable file in the service path to run unauthorized code when the service restarts or the system reboots. [CVSS 7.8 HIGH]
The Microsoft Entra ID SSO Login module for Drupal before version 1.0.4 contains an authentication bypass vulnerability that allows unauthenticated attackers to escalate privileges through an alternate authentication channel. An attacker can exploit this flaw to gain unauthorized access with elevated permissions on affected Drupal installations. No patch is currently available, and the vulnerability has low exploit probability (EPSS 0.1%).
Stored XSS in Cisco Prime Infrastructure's web management interface allows authenticated administrators to inject malicious scripts that execute in other users' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking or sensitive data theft. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation on specific data fields and requires valid admin credentials to exploit. No patch is currently available.
A vulnerability has been discovered in eladmin v2.7 and before. This vulnerability allows for an arbitrary user password reset under any user permission level. [CVSS 6.5 MEDIUM]
Unauthenticated attackers can manipulate WooCommerce order statuses through an authorization bypass in the Fortis for WooCommerce plugin (versions up to 1.2.0), allowing them to fraudulently mark orders as paid without receiving payment. The vulnerability stems from an inverted nonce validation check in the payment notification handler that fails to properly authenticate requests. This affects all WordPress sites running the vulnerable plugin and has no available patch.
The Magic Import Document Extractor plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized modification of data due to a missing capability check on the ajax_sync_usage() function in all versions up to, and including, 1.0.4. [CVSS 5.3 MEDIUM]
The SEO Flow by LupsOnline plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized modification of data due to a missing capability check on the checkBlogAuthentication() and checkCategoryAuthentication() functions in all versions up to, and including, 2.2.1. [CVSS 7.5 HIGH]
Loyalty Points and Rewards for WooCommerce versions up to 5.6.0. is affected by missing authorization (CVSS 6.5).
The Xendit Payment plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized order status manipulation in all versions up to, and including, 6.0.2. This is due to the plugin exposing a publicly accessible WooCommerce API callback endpoint (`wc_xendit_callback`) that processes payment callbacks without any authentication or cryptographic verification that the requests originate from Xendit's payment gateway. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to mark any WooCommerce order as paid by...
Android versions up to 13.0 contains a vulnerability that allows attackers to bypass the persistence configuration of the application (CVSS 6.1).
Android versions up to 14.0 contains a vulnerability that allows attackers to interrupt its functioning (CVSS 5.5).
Unrestricted file upload in Bolo Solo up to version 2.6.4 allows authenticated remote attackers to upload arbitrary files via the FreeMarker Template Handler component. Public exploit code exists for this vulnerability, and the vendor has not yet released a patch despite early notification. An attacker with valid credentials can achieve limited confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts.
Authorization bypass in EspoCRM 5.8.5 lets an authenticated low-privilege user reuse or manipulate Basic-Authorization and Espo-Authorization tokens to authenticate as a different user, including administrators, and inherit their privileges. The flaw stems from the login path never binding an auth token to its owning user, so a token valid for one account is accepted for another when passwords collide, also defeating two-factor authentication. Publicly available exploit code exists (Exploit-DB 48376); EPSS is low at 0.35%, and the issue is not listed in CISA KEV.
Netis E1+ version 1.2.32533 contains a hardcoded root account vulnerability that allows unauthenticated attackers to access the device with predefined credentials. Attackers can leverage the embedded root account with a crackable password to gain full administrative access to the network device. [CVSS 7.5 HIGH]
AdminPando 1.0.1 by Fikir Odalari has a CVSS 10.0 SQL injection in the login functionality allowing complete authentication bypass and database takeover.
Archer Ax53 Firmware versions up to 1.0 contains a vulnerability that allows attackers to obtain device credentials through a specially crafted man‑in‑the‑middle (MITM) a (CVSS 8.1).
HCL AION is affected by a Permanent Cookie Containing Sensitive Session Information vulnerability. It is storing sensitive session data in persistent cookies may increase the risk of unauthorized access if the cookies are intercepted or compromised. [CVSS 3.1 LOW]
HCL AION is affected by an Autocomplete HTML Attribute Not Disabled for Password Field vulnerability. This can allow autocomplete on password fields may lead to unintended storage or disclosure of sensitive credentials, potentially increasing the risk of unauthorized access. [CVSS 3.7 LOW]
Broken access control in Open eClass Platform versions prior to 4.2 allows authenticated students to create course units, a privilege normally reserved for instructors and administrators. An attacker with valid student credentials can escalate their capabilities within the platform by performing unauthorized administrative actions. Public exploit code exists for this vulnerability, and no patch is currently available.
Broken access control in Open eClass Platform before version 4.2 allows authenticated students to modify course content that should only be editable by instructors and administrators. Public exploit code exists for this vulnerability, and no patch is currently available for affected deployments. An attacker with valid student credentials can escalate their privileges to alter course materials and potentially disrupt educational content integrity.
The Open eClass platform (formerly known as GUnet eClass) is a complete course management system. [CVSS 5.0 MEDIUM]
Dokans SaaS e-commerce platform v3.9.2 has a CVSS 10.0 authentication bypass allowing unauthenticated attackers to obtain sensitive application secrets and tenant data.
chetans9 core-php-admin-panel through commit a94a780d6 contains an authentication bypass vulnerability in includes/auth_validate.php. The application sends an HTTP redirect via header(Location:login.php) when a user is not authenticated but fails to call exit() afterward. [CVSS 7.5 HIGH]
FUXA v1.2.7 has hard-coded JWT credentials (EPSS 4.8%) that allow attackers to forge authentication tokens and bypass all access controls on the SCADA interface.
Aion versions up to 2.0 is affected by incorrect permission assignment for critical resource (CVSS 5.5).
GUnet OpenEclass 1.7.3 stores user credentials in plaintext, allowing administrators to view all registered users' usernames and passwords without encryption. This vulnerability exposes sensitive information and increases the risk of credential theft and unauthorized access. [CVSS 6.5 MEDIUM]
The Passster WordPress plugin through version 4.2.25 contains an authorization bypass that allows authenticated users to access content protection mechanisms without proper permission validation. An attacker with low-privilege WordPress credentials can circumvent access controls to view protected content that should be restricted. No patch is currently available for this vulnerability.
Element Invader ElementInvader Addons for Elementor elementinvader-addons-for-elementor is affected by missing authorization (CVSS 5.4).
Mizan Themes Mizan Demo Importer mizan-demo-importer is affected by missing authorization (CVSS 5.4).
Atarim visual collaboration plugin versions 4.3.1 and earlier contain an access control bypass that allows unauthenticated remote attackers to modify data through improperly configured security levels. The vulnerability affects all installations of the affected plugin and requires no user interaction to exploit. No patch is currently available for this authorization flaw.
Nelio Popups versions 1.3.5 and earlier contain an authorization bypass vulnerability that allows authenticated users to modify popup content without proper access controls. An attacker with valid credentials can exploit misconfigured access control levels to make unauthorized changes to popups. No patch is currently available.
ILLID Share This Image plugin version 2.09 and earlier contains an access control bypass that allows unauthenticated remote attackers to modify content through improperly configured authorization checks. The vulnerability requires no user interaction and can be exploited over the network to alter shared images or related data. No patch is currently available.
Wired Impact Wired Impact Volunteer Management wired-impact-volunteer-management is affected by missing authorization (CVSS 5.3).
WPElemento Importer through version 0.6.4 contains a missing authorization flaw that allows authenticated users to modify data due to improper access control enforcement. An attacker with valid credentials can exploit this vulnerability to perform unauthorized modifications without requiring user interaction. No patch is currently available for this issue.
Iulia Cazan Latest Post Shortcode latest-post-shortcode is affected by missing authorization (CVSS 4.3).
sunshinephotocart Sunshine Photo Cart sunshine-photo-cart is affected by missing authorization (CVSS 5.3).
HT Plugins Extensions For CF7 extensions-for-cf7 is affected by authorization bypass through user-controlled key (CVSS 5.3).
Brecht Visual Link Preview versions 2.2.9 and earlier contain an authorization bypass vulnerability that allows authenticated users to access sensitive information they should not have permission to view. An attacker with valid credentials can exploit misconfigured access controls to read confidential data, though they cannot modify or delete information. No patch is currently available for this vulnerability.
Brainstorm Force Spectra ultimate-addons-for-gutenberg is affected by missing authorization (CVSS 5.3).
Amelia booking plugin versions up to 1.2.38 contain an authorization bypass that allows unauthenticated remote attackers to access sensitive information through improperly configured access control mechanisms. The vulnerability requires no user interaction and can be exploited over the network to disclose confidential data. No patch is currently available.
Wasiliy Strecker / ContestGallery developer Contest Gallery contest-gallery is affected by missing authorization (CVSS 4.3).
Unauthorized information disclosure in WordPress Strong Testimonials plugin version 3.2.20 and earlier stems from improper access control validation, allowing authenticated users to access sensitive data they should not have permission to view. An attacker with low-privilege WordPress account credentials can exploit this vulnerability to read confidential information without requiring user interaction. Currently, no patch is available for this vulnerability.
Insufficient access control checks in myCred plugin version 2.9.7.3 and earlier allow authenticated users to modify data they should not have permission to change. An attacker with valid credentials could exploit misconfigured security levels to perform unauthorized modifications, though the vulnerability requires legitimate user access and has no currently available patch.
LA-Studio LA-Studio Element Kit for Elementor lastudio-element-kit is affected by missing authorization (CVSS 4.3).
Themefic Ultimate Addons for Contact Form 7 ultimate-addons-for-contact-form-7 is affected by missing authorization (CVSS 5.3).
Insufficient access control in Themefic Travelfic Toolkit version 1.3.3 and earlier allows authenticated users to modify data due to improperly configured authorization checks. An attacker with valid credentials can bypass intended permission restrictions to perform unauthorized actions. No patch is currently available for this vulnerability.
WP Chill Modula Image Gallery modula-best-grid-gallery is affected by missing authorization (CVSS 4.3).
Moodle contains a vulnerability that allows attackers to authenticate through the Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) Provider (CVSS 8.1).
Data Master ADM 4.1.0-4.3.3 and 5.0.0-5.1.1 are vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks due to improper SSL/TLS certificate validation in the NAT traversal module, allowing attackers to intercept tunnel establishment and redirect connections to the signaling server. An attacker exploiting this can proxy device service communications, disrupt availability, or position themselves for follow-on attacks, though further authentication is required to access actual device services. No patch is currently available.
The DDNS function uses an insecure HTTP connection or fails to validate the SSL/TLS certificate when querying an external server for the device's WAN IP address. [CVSS 3.7 LOW]
Data Master versions 4.1.0-4.3.3 and 5.0.0-5.1.1 fail to validate SSL/TLS certificates during HTTPS communication, enabling unauthenticated attackers to conduct man-in-the-middle attacks and intercept sensitive data including emails, password hashes, and device serial numbers. The vulnerability affects API communication with no available patch, leaving affected installations at persistent risk of credential and information disclosure.
Khoj is a self-hostable artificial intelligence app. Prior to 2.0.0-beta.23, an IDOR in the Notion OAuth callback allows an attacker to hijack any user's Notion integration by manipulating the state parameter. The callback endpoint accepts any user UUID without verifying the OAuth flow was initiated by that user, allowing attackers to replace victims' Notion configurations with their own, resulting in data poisoning and unauthorized access to the victim's Khoj search index. This attack requir...
No password by default on industrial device — ships without any authentication, and setting a password is not enforced. Unauthenticated remote full access.
A unauthenticated adjacent attacker could potentially disrupt operations by switching between multiple configuration presets via CAN. [CVSS 6.5 MEDIUM]
An unauthenticated adjacent attacker could potentially disrupt operations by switching between multiple configuration presets via Modbus (RS485). [CVSS 6.5 MEDIUM]
An unauthenticated remote attacker could potentially disrupt operations by switching between multiple configuration presets via Modbus (TCP). [CVSS 7.5 HIGH]
An unauthenticated remote attacker could potentially disrupt operations by switching between multiple configuration presets via HTTP. [CVSS 7.5 HIGH]
Lunary contains a vulnerability that allows attackers to delete prompts created in other organizations through ID manipulation (CVSS 6.5).
A vulnerability has been found in DJI Mavic Mini, Air, Spark and Mini SE up to 01.00.0500. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown functionality of the component Enhanced Wi-Fi Pairing. [CVSS 3.1 LOW]
The VPN service in EFM ipTIME A8004T firmware 14.18.2 contains an unrestricted file upload vulnerability in the commit_vpncli_file_upload function that allows authenticated remote attackers to upload arbitrary files. Public exploit code exists for this vulnerability, and the vendor has not provided a patch or response. An attacker with high-level privileges could exploit this to upload malicious files and potentially compromise the device.
EFM ipTIME A8004T firmware versions up to 14.18.2 contain an authentication bypass in the /cgi/timepro.cgi interface that allows remote attackers to circumvent session validation without credentials. Public exploit code exists for this vulnerability, and the vendor has not provided a patch despite early disclosure notification. Successful exploitation grants attackers unauthorized access with potential to read sensitive data, modify configurations, and disrupt service availability.
An improper access control vulnerability exists in ASUS Secure Delete Driver of ASUS Business Manager. This vulnerability can be triggered by a local user sending a specially crafted request, potentially leading to the creation of arbitrary files in a specified path.
IP spoofing vulnerability in Crystal Shard http-protection 0.2.0 allows attackers to bypass protection middleware by manipulating request headers. PoC available.
Salt contains an authentication protocol version downgrade weakness that can allow a malicious minion to bypass newer authentication/security features by using an older request payload format, enabling minion impersonation and circumventing protections introduced in response to prior issues. [CVSS 6.2 MEDIUM]
A flaw was found in Undertow. Servlets using a method that calls HttpServletRequestImpl.getParameterNames() can cause an OutOfMemoryError when the client sends a request with large parameter names. [CVSS 7.5 HIGH]
Authenticated users of HIKSEMI NAS products can access and modify file resources belonging to other users due to insufficient access control checks. This allows any logged-in attacker to manipulate arbitrary files across user accounts without authorization, though a valid account is required to exploit the vulnerability. No patch is currently available.
Quick Facts
- Typical Severity
- CRITICAL
- Category
- auth
- Total CVEs
- 37501