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TI-2023-11628 Aliases CVE-2023-26481

Insufficient user check in FlowTokens by Email stage

Priority MEDIUM 41CWE-345Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Network
Privileges required
High
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low
Impact type
Security bypass
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
High · High · High
Fix status
Fixed

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-345.

Summary

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.

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00275 20th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed authentik (goauthentik): 2023.2.3, 2023.1.3, 2022.12.2

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
None
Automatable
No
Technical impact
Total

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
goauthentikauthentikbefore 2023.2.3; before 2023.1.3; before 2022.12.22023.2.3, 2023.1.3, 2022.12.2Patch availableCNA
  • authentik Vendorgoauthentik Affected before 2023.2.3; before 2023.1.3; before 2022.12.2 Fixed in 2023.2.3, 2023.1.3, 2022.12.2 Patch available CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 1

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:goauthentik:authentik:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*before 2022.12.3; after 2023.1.0, up to 2023.1.3; after 2023.2.0, up to 2023.2.3Vulnerablegoauthentik
  • cpe:2.3:a:goauthentik:authentik:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 2022.12.3; after 2023.1.0, up to 2023.1.3; after 2023.2.0, up to 2023.2.3 Vulnerable ·goauthentik

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA authentik (goauthentik) Fixed in 2023.2.3, 2023.1.3, 2022.12.2

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2023-26481

References

Advisory 1

Other 1

  • TI-2026-36603 authentik: SourceStage bypass via empty POST CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2022-07608 authentik vulnerable to Improper Authentication via invitation URL token reuse CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.4
  • TI-2026-36598 authentik: `UserSourceConnection.user` and `GroupSourceConnection.group` are changeable through the API CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
  • TI-2022-22816 authentik allows existing authenticated users to create arbitrary accounts CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.4
  • TI-2024-25628 Insufficient access control for OAuth2 Device Code flow in authentik CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2023-24876 authentik potential installation takeover when default admin user is deleted CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
See all 32 →

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences