Unauthenticated impersonation via unsigned SAML assertions
Published Sep 16, 2026 · Updated Sep 16, 2026
Authentication bypass in Kong Gateway Enterprise allows remote attackers to impersonate arbitrary users through a crafted SAML response. When validate_assertion_signature is false, the SAML plugin accepts an unsigned assertion and extracts its identity without verifying a valid cryptographic signature. The nondefault setting must be explicitly disabled, and exploitation creates a session with the impersonated user's privileges, including administrator access.
Summary
What happened
Authentication bypass in Kong Gateway Enterprise allows remote attackers to impersonate arbitrary users through a crafted SAML response. When validate_assertion_signature is false, the SAML plugin accepts an unsigned assertion and extracts its identity without verifying a valid cryptographic signature. The nondefault setting must be explicitly disabled, and exploitation creates a session with the impersonated user's privileges, including administrator access.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-14917
- Published
- Sep 16, 2026
- Updated
- Sep 16, 2026
- Vendor
- Kong Inc.
- Product
- Kong Gateway Enterprise
- Classifications
- T1606.002
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 16, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Sep 16, 2026Record 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=3.10.0.0 <3.10.0.17
- Affected versionversion=3.12.0.0 <3.12.0.10
- Affected versionversion=3.13.0.0 <3.13.0.9
- Affected versionversion=3.14.0.0 <3.14.0.12
- Affected versionversion=3.15.0.0 <3.15.0.3
- Affected versionversion=3.4.0.0 <3.4.3.29
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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