Authentication bypass in Punk-TOTP
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CISA ADP. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
Punk::Plugin::TOTP versions before 0.05 for Perl accept another account's recovery code at the two-factor challenge because totp_use_recovery compares user identifiers numerically. The helper searches the recovery model for the submitted code's digest alone, across every user's rows, so the ownership test that follows is the only thing binding a code to the account it was issued to. That test compares the row's user_id with the challenged user's id through Perl's integer coercion, and an identifier with no leading digits coerces to zero, so any two of them compare equal. User models keyed on a username, an email address or a UUID hit that case, and a numeric key compares as intended. The challenge route feeds a submitted value to the helper once TOTP verification fails, so an attacker who knows a victim's password and holds a recovery code of their own passes the victim's second factor.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Punk-TOTP | before 0.05 | 0.05 | Patch available | CNA |
- Punk-TOTP Vendor— Affected before 0.05 Fixed in 0.05 Patch available CNA
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Punk-TOTP Fixed in 0.05
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-78619
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-m82c-83jf-3j4v
- 2026-11-07 EPSS moved to the 50th–90th percentile
References
Sources
- CVE-2026-78619 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-78619 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-m82c-83jf-3j4v · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences