Apache CXF up to 3.6.12/4.1.8/4.2.3 Security Token Service Cache STSTokenValidator.hashCode improper authentication

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability categorized as critical has been discovered in Apache CXF up to 3.6.12/4.1.8/4.2.3. This vulnerability affects the function STSTokenValidator.hashCode of the component Security Token Service Cache. The manipulation results in improper authentication. This vulnerability is identified as CVE-2026-97468. The attack can be executed remotely. There is not any exploit available. It is advisable to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical has been found in Apache CXF up to 3.6.12/4.1.8/4.2.3. Affected is the function STSTokenValidator.hashCode of the component Security Token Service Cache. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a improper authentication vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-287. When an actor claims to have a given identity, the product does not prove or insufficiently proves that the claim is correct. This is going to have an impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

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.

The advisory is shared for download at lists.apache.org. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2026-97468 since 09/24/2026. The exploitability is told to be easy. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. The exploitation doesn't require any form of authentication. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available. The current price for an exploit might be approx. USD $0-$5k (estimation calculated on 10/09/2026).

Upgrading to version 3.6.13, 4.1.9 or 4.2.4 eliminates this vulnerability.

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Productinfo

Type

• Application Server Software

Vendor

• Apache

Name

• CXF

Version

• 3.6.0
• 3.6.1
• 3.6.2
• 3.6.3
• 3.6.4
• 3.6.5
• 3.6.6
• 3.6.7
• 3.6.8
• 3.6.9
• 3.6.10
• 3.6.11
• 3.6.12
• 4.1.0
• 4.1.1
• 4.1.2
• 4.1.3
• 4.1.4
• 4.1.5
• 4.1.6
• 4.1.7
• 4.1.8
• 4.2.0
• 4.2.1
• 4.2.2
• 4.2.3

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.apache.org/

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