CVE-2026-73470 in Syncope
Summary
by MITRE • 09/14/2026
Improper Privilege Management vulnerability in Apache Syncope.
Delegations can be created or updated with Roles not owned by the delegating User, or not for the same Realm subtree under the delegation management was granted for.
This issue affects Apache Syncope: from 3.0.0-M0 through 3.0.16, from 4.0.0-M0 Through 4.0.7, from 4.1.0-M0 through 4.1.2.
Users are recommended to upgrade to version 4.0.8 / 4.1.3, which fix this issue.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/14/2026
The vulnerability identified in Apache Syncope represents a critical failure in access control logic, specifically categorized under Improper Privilege Management. This flaw allows authenticated users to manipulate delegation settings in ways that bypass intended security boundaries. In identity and access management systems like Apache Syncope, delegations are mechanisms that allow one user or entity to perform actions on behalf of another within specific scopes. The core technical issue lies in the validation logic governing these delegations, which fails to enforce strict ownership constraints relative to the realm hierarchy. Consequently, a malicious actor can create or update delegation records by assigning roles that they do not own or by targeting realms outside their authorized subtree. This indicates a server-side request forgery-like behavior where the application trusts client-supplied data regarding role and realm associations without performing sufficient backend verification against the user's actual permissions and organizational structure.
From an industry standard perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-269: Improper Privilege Management. The flaw stems from insufficient checks on administrative privileges when processing delegation updates. In a properly secured system, any attempt to delegate authority must verify that the delegating entity has explicit ownership or management rights over both the target roles and the specific realm subtree involved in the operation. Apache Syncope versions ranging from 3.0.0-M0 through 3.0.16, as well as 4.0.0-M0 through 4.0.7 and 4.1.0-M0 through 4.1.2, lack these rigorous validation checks. This gap allows an attacker to escalate privileges by granting themselves or others access to resources they should not be able to reach. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates within the administrative interface of the identity management system, potentially allowing a lower-privileged user to gain control over higher-level accounts or sensitive data repositories that are protected by role-based access controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe for organizations relying on Apache Syncope for centralized identity governance. An attacker exploiting this flaw can effectively bypass role-based access restrictions, leading to unauthorized access to critical systems and data. By creating delegations with roles not owned by the user or outside their realm subtree, an adversary can impersonate higher-privileged entities or extend administrative control across organizational boundaries that were intended to be isolated. This could result in data breaches, modification of sensitive configurations, or complete compromise of the identity management infrastructure. Furthermore, because this involves delegation mechanisms, the attacker might establish persistent backdoors within the system's access policies, making detection and remediation more difficult without thorough auditing of delegation logs.
In terms of threat modeling, this vulnerability facilitates lateral movement and privilege escalation within the target environment. It maps to MITRE ATT&CK techniques related to Privilege Escalation and Defense Evasion, as an attacker can use legitimate administrative features to gain unauthorized access while potentially masking their activities behind valid-looking delegation records. The ability to manipulate realm subtrees also suggests potential for multi-tenant isolation failures in environments where Apache Syncope manages identities across multiple distinct organizational units or tenants. This undermines the fundamental security principle of least privilege, as users are able to acquire permissions beyond what is explicitly granted by system administrators.
To mitigate this risk, organizations running affected versions must upgrade immediately to version 4.0.8 or 4.1.3 and later releases where these validation checks have been implemented. Until an upgrade can be performed, it is advisable to restrict access to the Apache Syncope administrative interface to only those users who absolutely require it, applying network-level controls such as IP whitelisting if possible. Additionally, administrators should review existing delegation configurations for any anomalies or unexpected role assignments that do not align with standard operational procedures. Implementing comprehensive logging and monitoring of all privilege-related changes within the application can help detect exploitation attempts in real time. Regular audits of user permissions and realm structures are also recommended to ensure ongoing compliance with security policies and to identify any residual misconfigurations resulting from this vulnerability.