Account takeover via disabled SAML signature validation
Published Aug 5, 2026 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
Improper SAML signature verification in Red Hat build of Keycloak allows remote attackers to take over user accounts with forged responses. During SAML identity-provider metadata import, missing key usage attributes cause the broker to disable response signature validation even when metadata supplies a signing certificate. Exploitation requires a configured SAML broker imported from such metadata and knowledge of a target user's external identifier; successful forgery impersonates that user.
Summary
What happened
Improper SAML signature verification in Red Hat build of Keycloak allows remote attackers to take over user accounts with forged responses. During SAML identity-provider metadata import, missing key usage attributes cause the broker to disable response signature validation even when metadata supplies a signing certificate. Exploitation requires a configured SAML broker imported from such metadata and knowledge of a target user's external identifier; successful forgery impersonates that user.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-16443
- Published
- Aug 5, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- 389 Directory Server
- Product
- Red Hat build of Keycloak
- Classifications
- CWE-347, T1606.002
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 5, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 5, 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?
Affected versions are unavailable in this record. Check the vendor advisory for version and patch details.
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
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
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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