APTRS: Privilege Escalation via Mass Assignment of is_superuser in User Edit Endpoint
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Attack requirements
- None
- Impact type
- Tampering
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-915.
Summary
APTRS (Automated Penetration Testing Reporting System) is a Python and Django-based automated reporting tool designed for penetration testers and security organizations. Prior to version 2.0.1, the edit_user endpoint (POST /api/auth/edituser/<pk>) allows Any user who can reach that endpoint and submit crafted permission to escalate their own account (or any other account) to superuser by including "is_superuser": true in the request body. The root cause is that CustomUserSerializer explicitly includes is_superuser in its fields list but omits it from read_only_fields, making it a writable field. The edit_user view performs no additional validation to prevent non-superusers from modifying this field. Once is_superuser is set to true, gaining unrestricted access to all application functionality without requiring re-authentication. This issue has been patched in version 2.0.1.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- Poc
- 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
Remediation
- Fix · CNA APTRS (APTRS) Fixed in 2.0.1
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-34406
- 2026-10-25 EPSS moved to the below the 50th percentile
References
Sources
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences