CVE-2024-4028: Keycloak core Cross-Site Scripting Vulnerability

LOW
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-q4xq-445g-g6ch
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CVSS 3.8
CWE-20 CWE-79
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2024-4028 is a LOW (CVSS 3.8) cross-site scripting vulnerability (CWE-20: Improper Input Validation) affecting Keycloak core libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves keycloak allows cross-site scripting (xss). Remediation is available in the latest vendor maintenance releases.

CVE-2024-4028 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2024-4028
GHSA Identifier GHSA-q4xq-445g-g6ch
Severity LOW
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 3.8
CWE Classification CWE-20: Improper Input Validation
Affected Product Keycloak core
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 3.8

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required High (PR:H)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality Low (C:L)
Integrity Low (I:L)
Availability None (A:N)

How to Fix CVE-2024-4028

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

org.keycloak:keycloak-core fixed: Latest secure release 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.keycloak</groupId>
    <artifactId>keycloak-core</artifactId>
    <version>Latest secure release</version>
</dependency>
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

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

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.keycloak

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2024-4028, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.keycloak

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Keycloak core in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than the patched release), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.keycloak command inspects the resolved dependency graph declared in your project's POM files; it does not perform automated security scanning or inspect runtime dynamic classpaths. Always verify runtime container classpaths and shaded JARs.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-20: Improper Input Validation, where the product receives input or data, but it does not validate or incorrectly validates that the input has the properties that are required to process the data safely and correctly. In Keycloak core, 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

A vulnerability was found in Keycloak. This issue may allow a privileged attacker to use a malicious payload as the permission while creating items (Resource and Permissions) from the admin console, leading to a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) attack.

CVE-2024-4028 Affected Keycloak core Versions

1 component(s)
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
org.keycloak:keycloak-core
maven/org.keycloak/keycloak-core
Maven
≤ 26.1.2

References

NVD — CVE-2024-4028 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-4028
Keycloak core Security Information SECURITY
https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2024-4028
bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi WEB
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2276418
Keycloak core Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/keycloak/keycloak

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2024-4028?
CVE-2024-4028 is a security vulnerability in Keycloak core involving Keycloak allows cross-site scripting (XSS) under CWE-20: Improper Input Validation.
Which Keycloak core versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to current release patches across affected packages: org.keycloak:keycloak-core.
What version fixes CVE-2024-4028?
Upgrading to current release patches (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is keycloak-core affected?
Yes, org.keycloak:keycloak-core is affected in releases prior to Latest secure release. Upgrade your dependency to Latest secure release or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2024-4028?
CVE-2024-4028 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 3.8 (LOW) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2024-4028?
CVE-2024-4028 is classified under CWE-20: Improper Input Validation (The product receives input or data, but it does not validate or incorrectly validates that the input has the properties that are required to process the data safely and correctly.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2024-4028?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.keycloak'. 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
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-q4xq-445g-g6ch",
  "modified" : "2025-02-20T20:19:28Z",
  "published" : "2025-02-18T18:33:21Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2024-4028" ],
  "summary" : "Keycloak allows cross-site scripting (XSS)",
  "details" : "A vulnerability was found in Keycloak. This issue may allow a privileged attacker to use a malicious payload as the permission while creating items (Resource and Permissions) from the admin console, leading to a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) attack.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.keycloak:keycloak-core"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "last_affected" : "26.1.2"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-4028"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2024-4028"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2276418"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/keycloak/keycloak"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-20", "CWE-79" ],
    "severity" : "LOW",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2025-02-20T20:19:28Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2025-02-18T18:15:25Z"
  }
}