In Apache CXF, STSTokenValidator checks whether a SAML assertion is signed by a trusted certificate before deciding to send it to the STS. That result was stored in one object shared by all requests, so one request could read another's result. A remote, unauthenticated attacker could send a forged assertion signed with an untrusted certificate while legitimate requests were being processed, and it could be accepted as trusted without ever reaching the STS. Only services that use STSTokenValidator to validate SAML tokens without alwaysValidateToSts set are affected. Users are recommended to upgrade to versions 4.2.4 or 4.1.9 or 3.6.13, which fix this issue.
Fix
Patch, vendor advisory and mitigation references on NVD 1
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/ssdr417qgms9fjl0m8802xd8170wnk1l Issue Tracking, Vendor Advisory
Every line above is quoted from NVD, CISA, Microsoft, the vendor's own advisory or DISA; nothing is generated.
Change history 5
- Cpes+1 CPE criteria (now 1)NVD modified 2026-10-20 12:38
- StatusUndergoing Analysis → AnalyzedNVD modified 2026-10-20 12:38
- CwesCWE-362NVD modified 2026-10-15 18:17
- CVSS7.5 (v3.1, CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H)NVD modified 2026-10-15 18:17
- First seenunscoredNVD modified 2026-10-09 16:33
Affected (CPE criteria) 1
cpe:2.3:a:apache:cxf:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
References 2
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/ssdr417qgms9fjl0m8802xd8170wnk1l Issue Tracking, Vendor Advisory
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/10/09/10 Mailing List, Third Party Advisory