CVE-2024-47077 in authentik
Summary
by MITRE • 09/27/2024
authentik is an open-source identity provider. Prior to versions 2024.8.3 and 2024.6.5, access tokens issued to one application can be stolen by that application and used to impersonate the user against any other proxy provider. Also, a user can steal an access token they were legitimately issued for one application and use it to access another application that they aren't allowed to access. Anyone who has more than one proxy provider application with different trust domains or different access control is affected. Versions 2024.8.3 and 2024.6.5 fix the issue.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/22/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2024-47077 represents a critical authorization flaw within the authentik open-source identity provider system that fundamentally undermines the security model of multi-application environments. This weakness allows for unauthorized token reuse across different trust domains, effectively breaking the core principle of least privilege that governs secure access control. The vulnerability affects organizations that utilize multiple proxy provider applications with distinct trust boundaries or access control mechanisms, creating a scenario where a malicious actor can leverage legitimate access tokens to gain unauthorized access to resources they should not be permitted to reach.
The technical flaw stems from insufficient token validation and scope enforcement mechanisms within authentik's authorization framework. When access tokens are issued to applications, they should be properly scoped to specific trust domains or resource boundaries to prevent cross-application token reuse. However, prior to the patched versions 2024.8.3 and 2024.6.5, the system failed to enforce proper token boundaries, allowing applications to access tokens that were intended for different trust domains. This represents a violation of the principle of least privilege and creates a pathway for privilege escalation attacks where tokens issued for one purpose can be leveraged against entirely different applications. The vulnerability operates at the application layer of the authentication system, specifically affecting how access tokens are validated and enforced across different proxy providers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching for organizations relying on authentik for identity management. A compromised application can potentially access any other application within the same organization's infrastructure that uses authentik as an identity provider, regardless of the intended access controls or trust boundaries. This creates a potential for widespread data exposure and unauthorized system access, as a single compromised application becomes a potential gateway to the entire application ecosystem. The vulnerability affects organizations with complex multi-application environments where different applications serve distinct security domains, making the attack surface significantly larger. Security administrators face the challenge of detecting and mitigating potential exploitation across multiple applications simultaneously, as the attack vector can occur without traditional authentication bypass mechanisms.
Organizations should immediately implement the patched versions 2024.8.3 and 2024.6.5 to remediate this vulnerability and ensure proper token scoping and validation. The mitigation strategy should include comprehensive token validation reviews to confirm that access tokens are properly constrained to their intended trust domains and applications. Security teams should also conduct thorough audits of existing access tokens and implement monitoring for unauthorized token usage patterns. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing additional security controls such as token binding mechanisms and enhanced application-level access controls to provide defense-in-depth. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control, and represents a significant concern from an attacker's perspective as outlined in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under privilege escalation techniques. The remediation process should also include reissuing tokens to applications that may have been compromised and implementing automated token lifecycle management to prevent future occurrences of similar issues.