Authentication bypass via multiple XML root elements
Published Oct 12, 2022 · Updated Apr 23, 2025
Authentication bypass in node-saml Passport-SAML before 3.2.2 allows remote attackers to access accounts via crafted SAML responses. The response validator accepts doc.documentElement when its top-level signature is valid without requiring the XML document to contain only one root element. Exploitation requires an arbitrary IdP-signed XML element; some IdPs let unauthenticated attackers trigger one, enabling access as the asserted user.
Summary
What happened
Authentication bypass in node-saml Passport-SAML before 3.2.2 allows remote attackers to access accounts via crafted SAML responses. The response validator accepts doc.documentElement when its top-level signature is valid without requiring the XML document to contain only one root element. Exploitation requires an arbitrary IdP-signed XML element; some IdPs let unauthenticated attackers trigger one, enabling access as the asserted user.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-39299
- Published
- Oct 12, 2022
- Updated
- Apr 23, 2025
- Vendor
- node-saml
- Product
- Passport-SAML
- Classifications
- CWE-347, T1606.002
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Oct 12, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Apr 23, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=< 3.2.2
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- Node-saml Root Element Signature Bypassproof of concept · unverified
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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