Unauthenticated group-member eviction via unchecked external-commit removal
Published Oct 3, 2026 · Updated Oct 3, 2026
Incorrect authorization in Bouncy Castle Java 1.73 through 1.85 allows remote attackers to evict an MLS group member via an external commit. Group.validateExternalCachedProposals bounds the Remove leaf index but never checks that its credential belongs to the external joiner. An attacker needs the group's public GroupInfo and a target LeafIndex; accepting members then remove that participant and give the joiner the vacated tree slot.
Summary
What happened
Incorrect authorization in Bouncy Castle Java 1.73 through 1.85 allows remote attackers to evict an MLS group member via an external commit. Group.validateExternalCachedProposals bounds the Remove leaf index but never checks that its credential belongs to the external joiner. An attacker needs the group's public GroupInfo and a target LeafIndex; accepting members then remove that participant and give the joiner the vacated tree slot.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-71890
- Published
- Oct 3, 2026
- Updated
- Oct 3, 2026
- Vendor
- Legion of the Bouncy Castle Inc.
- Product
- Bouncy Castle Java
- Classifications
- CWE-863, T1531
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Oct 3, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Oct 3, 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?
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- Affected versionversion=1.73 <1.86
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.
Activity data is delayed. The latest report is Sep 28, 2026.
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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