SAML authentication bypass vulnerability in RobotsAndPencils/go-saml
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Security bypass
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · High · None
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and GitHub. Impact type from CWE-287.
Summary
RobotsAndPencils go-saml, a SAML client library written in Go, contains an authentication bypass vulnerability in all known versions. This is due to how the `xmlsec1` command line tool is called internally to verify the signature of SAML assertions. When `xmlsec1` is used without defining the enabled key data, the origin of the public key for the signature verification is, unfortunately, not restricted. That means an attacker can sign the SAML assertions themselves and provide the required public key (e.g. an RSA key) directly embedded in the SAML token. Projects still using RobotsAndPencils/go-saml should move to another SAML library or alternatively remove support for SAML from their projects. The vulnerability can likely temporarily be fixed by forking the go-saml project and adding the command line argument `--enabled-key-data` and specifying a value such as `x509` or `raw-x509-cert` when calling the `xmlsec1` binary in the verify function. Please note that this workaround must be carefully tested before it can be used.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- Yes
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RobotsAndPencils | go-saml | up to 0.0.0-20230606195814-29020529affc | — | No fix listed | CNA |
| — | github.com/RobotsAndPencils/go-saml (Go) | up to 0.0.0-20230606195814-29020529affc | — | No fix listed | GHSA-6h53-q94j-348w |
- go-saml VendorRobotsAndPencils Affected up to 0.0.0-20230606195814-29020529affc Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
- github.com/RobotsAndPencils/go-saml (Go) Vendor— Affected up to 0.0.0-20230606195814-29020529affc Fixed in — No fix listed GHSA-6h53-q94j-348w
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:robotsandpencils:go-saml:-:*:*:*:*:go:*:* | not specified by NVD | Vulnerable | RobotsAndPencils |
- cpe:2.3:a:robotsandpencils:go-saml:-:*:*:*:*:go:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Vulnerable ·RobotsAndPencils
Remediation
No fixed version listed by the sources yet.
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2023-48703
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-6h53-q94j-348w
References
More RobotsAndPencils Go-saml vulnerabilities
- TI-2020-18791 Weak hash (SHA-1) in github.com/RobotsAndPencils/go-saml CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.3
Sources
- CVE-2023-48703 · CVE Program
- CVE-2023-48703 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-6h53-q94j-348w · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
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