All vulnerabilities
CVE-2026-97468

Apache CXF: Authentication bypass via weak cache keys for validated STS tokens

Apache Software Foundation Apache CXF
CVSS
9.1Critical
ExploitationNo known exploitationNot in CISA KEV, which does not prove it is unexploitedCISA KEV
Exploit odds (EPSS)0.23%Chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 13% of CVEs. Scored 23 Oct 2026FIRST EPSS
Fixed in4.2.4Also 4.1.9, 3.6.13CVE List
Published9 Oct 2026Updated 15 Oct 2026CVE List

What fixes it

A fixed version on one release line is not the upgrade target for every line. Check your exact version and any vendor backports.

Description

Apache CXF's STSTokenValidator and Security Token Service (STS) cached validated security tokens under a non-cryptographic 32-bit hash of the token (Java Arrays.hashCode/hashCode()), and treated a cache hit as proof that the presented token had already been validated. An attacker could craft a token (for example a UsernameToken or a self-signed SAML Assertion) whose hash collides with a cached entry. The token would then be accepted without password validation, signature trust verification or a call to the STS. This could let the attacker authenticate as another user and, through STS token validation or renewal, obtain STS-signed tokens for that identity. Users are recommended to upgrade to versions 4.2.4 or 4.1.9 or 3.6.13, which fix this issue.

Text from CVE List

Affected versions 3

  • Apache CXFaffected: 4.2.0 before 4.2.4CVE List
  • Apache CXFaffected: 4.0.0 before 4.1.9CVE List
  • Apache CXFaffected: all versions before 3.6.13CVE List

References 1