Authentication bypass via colliding token-cache hashes
Published Oct 9, 2026 · Updated Oct 9, 2026
Authentication bypass in Apache CXF STS allows remote attackers to impersonate users via tokens with colliding validation-cache hashes. STSTokenValidator and the Security Token Service treat matching non-cryptographic 32-bit token hashes as prior validation, skipping password checks, signature trust verification, or an STS call. Exploitation requires a colliding cached entry and access to the affected token-processing path; STS validation or renewal also enables issuance of signed tokens for the impersonated identity.
Summary
What happened
Authentication bypass in Apache CXF STS allows remote attackers to impersonate users via tokens with colliding validation-cache hashes. STSTokenValidator and the Security Token Service treat matching non-cryptographic 32-bit token hashes as prior validation, skipping password checks, signature trust verification, or an STS call. Exploitation requires a colliding cached entry and access to the affected token-processing path; STS validation or renewal also enables issuance of signed tokens for the impersonated identity.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-97468
- Published
- Oct 9, 2026
- Updated
- Oct 9, 2026
- Vendor
- The Apache Software Foundation
- Product
- Apache CXF
- Classifications
- T1606.002
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Oct 9, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Oct 9, 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=0 <3.6.13
- Affected versionversion=4.0.0 <4.1.9
- Affected versionversion=4.2.0 <4.2.4
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
No CVSS assessment is available in this record.
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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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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