CVE-2023-26481

9.1 CRITICAL 0.3% exploit odds Fix listed Auth & access Web app

What it is

authentik is an open-source Identity Provider. Due to an insufficient access check, a recovery flow link that is created by an admin (or sent via email by an admin) can be used to set the password for any arbitrary user. This attack is only possible if a recovery flow exists, which has both an Identification and an Email stage bound to it. If the flow has policies on the identification stage to skip it when the flow is restored (by checking `request.context['is_restored']`), the flow is not affected by this. With this flow in place, an administrator must create a recovery Link or send a recovery URL to the attacker, who can, due to the improper validation of the token create, set the password for any account. Regardless, for custom recovery flows it is recommended to add a policy that checks if the flow is restored, and skips the identification stage. This issue has been fixed in versions 2023.2.3, 2023.1.3 and 2022.12.2.

At a glance

Exploitability: Can be exploited over the network with an admin-level account. High risk of data exposure, data tampering, service disruption.
Exploit odds: 0.3% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days (EPSS).
Fix: A patch, advisory or fixed version is referenced. Upgrade or apply it.

Timeline

2023-03-04 01:15 UTC PublishedDisclosed publicly on CVE.org and NVD
2026-06-17 05:43 UTC Last updatedMost recent change to the record

Why it ranks here

Exploited in the wild: no, CISA does not list it.
Exploit odds: 0.3% in the next 30 days (EPSS).
Severity: 9.1 CRITICAL (CVSS).
Fix: a patch or advisory is linked.

Details

Published: 2023-03-04 01:15 UTC
Last modified: 2026-06-17 05:43 UTC
Exploit probability: 0.3% · EPSS, next 30 days
Weakness: CWE-345
Record status: Modified

Affected

Goauthentik Authentik < 2022.12.3
Goauthentik Authentik ≤ 2023.1.3
Goauthentik Authentik ≤ 2023.2.3

Attack profile CVSS 3.1 · 9.1

Attack vector: Network
Complexity: Low
Privileges needed: High
User interaction: None
Scope: Changed
Confidentiality: High
Integrity: High
Availability: High

Raw vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

Is it in your code?

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Fix and advisories

References

NVD record · CVE.org record