CVE-2026-27946: Github.com/zitadel/zitadel ZITADEL Users Can Self-Verify Email/Phone Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-282g-fhmx-xf54
CWE-862
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2026-27946 is a HIGH zitadel users can self-verify email/phone vulnerability (CWE-862: Missing Authorization) affecting Github.com/zitadel/zitadel libraries in the Go ecosystem. The issue involves zitadel users can self-verify email/phone via updatehumanuser api. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 4.11.1, 3.4.7, 1.80.0-v2.20.0.20260225053417-0261536243e5.

CVE-2026-27946 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2026-27946
GHSA Identifier GHSA-282g-fhmx-xf54
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score N/A
CWE Classification CWE-862: Missing Authorization
Affected Product Github.com/zitadel/zitadel
Package Ecosystem Go
Published Date
Last Updated

How to Fix CVE-2026-27946

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Github.com/zitadel/zitadel dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

github.com/zitadel/zitadel fixed: 4.11.1
Upgrade github.com/zitadel/zitadel to 4.11.1
github.com/zitadel/zitadel fixed: 3.4.7
Upgrade github.com/zitadel/zitadel to 3.4.7
github.com/zitadel/zitadel fixed: 1.80.0-v2.20.0.20260225053417-0261536243e5
Upgrade github.com/zitadel/zitadel to 1.80.0-v2.20.0.20260225053417-0261536243e5
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release:

inspect dependencies for github.com/zitadel/zitadel

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your application is affected by CVE-2026-27946, inspect your project dependencies for Github.com/zitadel/zitadel:

inspect dependencies for github.com/zitadel/zitadel

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Github.com/zitadel/zitadel in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 4.11.1), your application is affected.

Note: Verify declared build manifests and deployed runtime container environments.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-862: Missing Authorization, where the product does not perform an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action. In Github.com/zitadel/zitadel, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

### Summary A vulnerability in Zitadel's self-management capability allowed users to mark their email and phone as verified without going through an actual verification process. ### Impact Zitadel provides an API for managing users. The API also allows users to self-manage their own data including updating the email and phone. Due to an improper permission check, the API allowed setting the verified flag for the email and phone on the own user. This allows users to claim ownership of an email or phone they do not control and potentially bypass email-based security policies. Note that when changing another user's email or phone, regardless of the verification flag, the permissions were correctly checked. ### Affected Versions Systems running one of the following versions are affected: - **4.x**: `4.0.0` through `4.11.0` (including RC versions) - **3.x**: `3.0.0` through `3.4.6` (including RC versions) - **2.x**: `2.43.0` through `2.71.19` ### Patches The vulnerability has been addressed in the latest releases. The patch resolves the issue by requiring the correct permission in case the verification flag is provided and only allows self-management of the email address, resp. phone number itself. 4.x: Upgrade to >=[4.11.1](https://github.com/zitadel/zitadel/releases/tag/v4.11.1) 3.x: Update to >=[3.4.7](https://github.com/zitadel/zitadel/releases/tag/v3.4.7) 2.x: Update to >=[3.4.7](https://github.com/zitadel/zitadel/releases/tag/v3.4.7) ### Workarounds The recommended solution is to upgrade to a patched version. If an upgrade is not possible, an action (v2) could be used to prevent setting the verification flag on the own user. ### Questions If you have any questions or comments about this advisory, please email us at [security@zitadel.com](mailto:security@zitadel.com) ### Credits This vulnerability was identified by [MhdAsfan](https://github.com/MhdAsfan) during a security audit of a system utilizing Zitadel.

CVE-2026-27946 Affected Github.com/zitadel/zitadel Versions

3 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
4.11.13.4.71.80.0-v2.20.0.20260225053417-0261536243e5
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
github.com/zitadel/zitadel
Go
≥ 4.0.0
< 4.11.1
4.11.1
github.com/zitadel/zitadel
Go
≥ 2.43.0
< 3.4.7
3.4.7
github.com/zitadel/zitadel
Go
< 1.80.0-v2.20.0.20260225053417-0261536243e5
1.80.0-v2.20.0.20260225053417-0261536243e5

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-27946?
CVE-2026-27946 is a security vulnerability in Github.com/zitadel/zitadel involving ZITADEL Users Can Self-Verify Email/Phone via UpdateHumanUser API under CWE-862: Missing Authorization.
Which Github.com/zitadel/zitadel versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 4.11.1, 3.4.7, 1.80.0-v2.20.0.20260225053417-0261536243e5 across affected packages: github.com/zitadel/zitadel.
What version fixes CVE-2026-27946?
Upgrading to 4.11.1, 3.4.7, 1.80.0-v2.20.0.20260225053417-0261536243e5 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is github.com/zitadel/zitadel affected?
Yes, github.com/zitadel/zitadel is affected in releases prior to 4.11.1, 3.4.7, 1.80.0-v2.20.0.20260225053417-0261536243e5. Upgrade your dependency to 4.11.1, 3.4.7, 1.80.0-v2.20.0.20260225053417-0261536243e5 or later.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2026-27946?
CVE-2026-27946 is classified under CWE-862: Missing Authorization (The product does not perform an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action.).
How can I check Go dependencies for CVE-2026-27946?
Run the dependency tree command: 'inspect dependencies for github.com/zitadel/zitadel'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-282g-fhmx-xf54",
  "modified" : "2026-03-31T18:46:52Z",
  "published" : "2026-02-27T21:26:46Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-27946" ],
  "summary" : "ZITADEL Users Can Self-Verify Email/Phone via UpdateHumanUser API",
  "details" : "### Summary\n\nA vulnerability in Zitadel's self-management capability allowed users to mark their email and phone as verified without going through an actual verification process.\n\n### Impact\n\nZitadel provides an API for managing users. The API also allows users to self-manage their own data including updating the email and phone.\n\nDue to an improper permission check, the API allowed setting the verified flag for the email and phone on the own user.\nThis allows users to claim ownership of an email or phone they do not control and potentially bypass email-based security policies.\n\nNote that when changing another user's email or phone, regardless of the verification flag, the permissions were correctly checked.\n\n### Affected Versions\n\nSystems running one of the following versions are affected:\n- **4.x**: `4.0.0` through `4.11.0` (including RC versions)\n- **3.x**: `3.0.0` through `3.4.6` (including RC versions)\n- **2.x**: `2.43.0` through `2.71.19`\n\n### Patches\n\nThe vulnerability has been addressed in the latest releases. The patch resolves the issue by requiring the correct permission in case the verification flag is provided and only allows self-management of the email address, resp. phone number itself.\n\n4.x: Upgrade to >=[4.11.1](https://github.com/zitadel/zitadel/releases/tag/v4.11.1)\n3.x: Update to >=[3.4.7](https://github.com/zitadel/zitadel/releases/tag/v3.4.7)\n2.x: Update to >=[3.4.7](https://github.com/zitadel/zitadel/releases/tag/v3.4.7)\n\n### Workarounds\n\nThe recommended solution is to upgrade to a patched version. If an upgrade is not possible, an action (v2) could be used to prevent setting the verification flag on the own user.\n\n### Questions\n\nIf you have any questions or comments about this advisory, please email us at [security@zitadel.com](mailto:security@zitadel.com)\n\n\n### Credits\n\nThis vulnerability was identified by [MhdAsfan](https://github.com/MhdAsfan) during a security audit of a system utilizing Zitadel.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:H/SA:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Go",
      "name" : "github.com/zitadel/zitadel"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "4.0.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "4.11.1"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "< 4.11.0"
    }
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Go",
      "name" : "github.com/zitadel/zitadel"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "2.43.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "3.4.7"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Go",
      "name" : "github.com/zitadel/zitadel"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "1.80.0-v2.20.0.20260225053417-0261536243e5"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/zitadel/zitadel/security/advisories/GHSA-282g-fhmx-xf54"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-27946"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/zitadel/zitadel/commit/0261536243e500dccfd8c7f547d592c822478327"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/zitadel/zitadel"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/zitadel/zitadel/releases/tag/v3.4.7"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/zitadel/zitadel/releases/tag/v4.11.1"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-862" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-02-27T21:26:46Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2026-02-26T01:16:25Z"
  }
}