CVE-2026-65616 in Artifactory
Summary
by MITRE • 07/27/2026
Incorrect authorization validation in refresh token signature allows non-admin users to obtain a signed JFrog administrator token.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/27/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical authorization bypass flaw that undermines the security controls of JFrog platforms by allowing unauthorized users to escalate their privileges through improper validation of refresh token signatures. The issue stems from insufficient verification mechanisms during the token refresh process where the system fails to properly authenticate the identity of users requesting administrative tokens, creating a pathway for privilege escalation attacks.
The technical implementation flaw occurs when the system processes refresh tokens without adequate signature validation checks that should confirm the requester's administrative status before issuing new administrator-signed tokens. This weakness enables malicious actors who have obtained regular user credentials or session tokens to exploit the refresh mechanism and gain elevated privileges through forged administrative signatures. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-285 which addresses improper authorization in authentication processes, specifically targeting insufficient validation of access control decisions.
Operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it allows attackers to perform administrative actions such as creating new users, modifying permissions, accessing restricted repositories, and potentially compromising the entire JFrog platform infrastructure. The attack vector typically involves a user with legitimate but non-administrative access obtaining a refresh token through normal operations and then leveraging the flawed validation process to acquire administrative capabilities without proper authentication mechanisms. This scenario creates significant risk for organizations relying on JFrog Artifactory or Xray for their software supply chain management, as attackers could gain complete control over package repositories and security scanning capabilities.
The mitigation strategy requires implementing robust signature validation checks during refresh token processing that verify both the cryptographic integrity of tokens and the authenticator's administrative privileges before issuing new signed administrator tokens. Organizations should also implement proper session management controls including short-lived tokens, enhanced monitoring for suspicious refresh patterns, and regular audit trails of administrative activities. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts as a means of gaining access, specifically targeting the exploitation of legitimate user credentials to achieve privilege escalation through system weaknesses in authorization validation.
Security teams should prioritize immediate patching of affected JFrog versions while implementing additional controls such as multi-factor authentication for administrative functions, enhanced logging of token refresh operations, and regular security assessments of authentication mechanisms. The fix must ensure that all refresh token operations include comprehensive verification that matches the requesting identity against established administrative permissions before any signature generation occurs, preventing unauthorized privilege escalation through the token refresh mechanism.