Mastodon has insufficient access control to push notification settings
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Security bypass
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- Low · Low · None
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-863.
Summary
Mastodon is a free, open-source social network server based on ActivityPub. Prior to versions 4.5.5, 4.4.12, and 4.3.18, an insecure direct object reference in the web push subscription update endpoint lets any authenticated user update another user's push subscription by guessing or obtaining the numeric subscription id. This can be used to disrupt push notifications for other users and also leaks the web push subscription endpoint. Any user with a web push subscription is impacted, because another authenticated user can tamper with their push subscription settings if they can guess or obtain the subscription id. This allows an attacker to disrupt push notifications by changing the policy (whether to filter notifications from non-followers or non-followed users) and subscribed notification types of their victims. Additionally, the endpoint returns the subscription object, which includes the push notification endpoint for this subscription, but not its keypair. Mastodon versions v4.5.5, v4.4.12, v4.3.18 are patched.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- Yes
- Technical impact
- Partial
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mastodon | mastodon | before 4.3.18; 4.4.0 to before 4.4.12; 4.5.0 to before 4.5.5 | 4.3.18, 4.4.12, 4.5.5 | Patch available | CNA |
- mastodon Vendormastodon Affected before 4.3.18; 4.4.0 to before 4.4.12; 4.5.0 to before 4.5.5 Fixed in 4.3.18, 4.4.12, 4.5.5 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:joinmastodon:mastodon:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | before 4.3.18; 4.4.0 to before 4.4.12; 4.5.0 to before 4.5.5 | Vulnerable | mastodon |
- cpe:2.3:a:joinmastodon:mastodon:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 4.3.18; 4.4.0 to before 4.4.12; 4.5.0 to before 4.5.5 Vulnerable ·mastodon
Remediation
- Fix · CNA mastodon (mastodon) Fixed in 4.3.18, 4.4.12, 4.5.5
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-23964
References
More Mastodon vulnerabilities
- TI-2022-02004 Improper Restriction of Excessive Authentication Attempts in mastodon/mastodon CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2025-34613 Mastodon e‑mail throttle misconfiguration allows unlimited email confirmations against unconfirmed emails CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2022-22936 Mastodon through 4.0.2 allows attackers to cause a denial of service (large Sidekiq pull… CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2023-18301 Mastodon vulnerable to arbitrary file creation through media attachments CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 10.0
- TI-2023-13359 Mastodon's blind LDAP injection in login allows the attacker to leak arbitrary attributes from LDAP database CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.7
- TI-2024-16846 External OpenID Connect Account Takeover by E-Mail Change in mastodon CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.4
Sources
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences