CVE-2021-20262: Keycloak core Keycloak Missing Authentication For Critical Vulnerability

MODERATE

Advisory Identifier: GHSA-xf46-8vvp-4hxx

CVSS 6.8

Published 2021-03-12

Advisory Summary

CVE-2021-20262 is a MODERATE (CVSS 6.8) keycloak missing authentication for critical vulnerability (CWE-306: Missing Authentication for Critical Function) affecting Keycloak core libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves keycloak missing authentication for critical function. Remediation is available in the latest vendor maintenance releases.

CVE-2021-20262 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2021-20262

GHSA Identifier GHSA-xf46-8vvp-4hxx

Severity MODERATE

CVSS v3.1 Base Score 6.8

CWE Classification CWE-306: Missing Authentication for Critical Function

Affected Product Keycloak core

Package Ecosystem Maven

Published Date 2021-03-12

Last Updated 2023-09-07

Security Impact

CVSS: 6.8

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

Attack Vector Physical (AV:P)

Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)

Privileges Required None (PR:N)

User Interaction None (UI:N)

Scope Unchanged (S:U)

Confidentiality High (C:H)

Integrity High (I:H)

Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2021-20262

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-2021-20262, 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-306: Missing Authentication for Critical Function, where the product does not perform any authentication for functionality that requires a provable user identity or consumes a significant amount of resources. 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 flaw was found in Keycloak 12.0.0 where re-authentication does not occur while updating the password. This flaw allows an attacker to take over an account if they can obtain temporary, physical access to a user’s browser. The highest threat from this vulnerability is to confidentiality, integrity, as well as system availability.

CVE-2021-20262 Affected Keycloak core Versions

1 component(s)

Product / Package	Ecosystem	Affected Versions	Fixed Version
org.keycloak:keycloak-core maven/org.keycloak/keycloak-core	Maven	≤ 12.0.4

References

NVD — CVE-2021-20262 NVD

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-20262

bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi WEB

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1933639

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2021-20262?

CVE-2021-20262 is a security vulnerability in Keycloak core involving Keycloak Missing authentication for critical function under CWE-306: Missing Authentication for Critical Function.

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-2021-20262?

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-2021-20262?

CVE-2021-20262 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 6.8 (MODERATE) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.

What CWE is associated with CVE-2021-20262?

CVE-2021-20262 is classified under CWE-306: Missing Authentication for Critical Function (The product does not perform any authentication for functionality that requires a provable user identity or consumes a significant amount of resources.).

How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2021-20262?

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-xf46-8vvp-4hxx",
  "modified" : "2023-09-07T18:44:23Z",
  "published" : "2021-03-12T21:33:42Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2021-20262" ],
  "summary" : "Keycloak Missing authentication for critical function",
  "details" : "A flaw was found in Keycloak 12.0.0 where re-authentication does not occur while updating the password. This flaw allows an attacker to take over an account if they can obtain temporary, physical access to a user’s browser. The highest threat from this vulnerability is to confidentiality, integrity, as well as system availability.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.keycloak:keycloak-core"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "last_affected" : "12.0.4"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-20262"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1933639"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-306" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2021-03-12T19:13:32Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2021-03-09T18:15:00Z"
  }
}

CVSS V3

6.8 MODERATE