CVE-2026-90979: Software Security Vulnerability Vulnerability
HIGHCVE-2026-90979 is a HIGH (CVSS 7.3) security vulnerability vulnerability (CWE-90: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an LDAP Query ('LDAP Injection')) affecting Software libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The weakness occurs when the product constructs all or part of an ldap query using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended ldap query when it is sent to a downstream component.. Remediation is available in the latest vendor maintenance releases.
CVE-2026-90979 at a Glance
Security Impact
CVSS: 7.3
The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L).
How to Fix CVE-2026-90979
To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Software dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.
Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release:
mvn dependency:treeHow to Check if You Are Affected
To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2026-90979, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:
mvn dependency:treeAnalyze the terminal output to locate any version of Software 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 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-90: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an LDAP Query ('LDAP Injection'), where the product constructs all or part of an ldap query using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended ldap query when it is sent to a downstream component. In Software, 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
References
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2026-90979?
Which Software versions are affected?
What version fixes CVE-2026-90979?
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-90979?
What CWE is associated with CVE-2026-90979?
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2026-90979?
Machine-readable OSV JSON
OSV v1.5 Schema
{
"schema_version" : "1.4.0",
"id" : "GHSA-932c-qw9f-cpcq",
"modified" : "2026-09-30T21:31:54Z",
"published" : "2026-09-28T12:31:04Z",
"aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-90979" ],
"details" : "LDAPCache and LDAPBackingEngine build LDAP search filters for user lookup and role lookup by textually substituting the placeholders %u, %dn, and %fqdn (drawn from the login name, the resolved user DN, and its fully qualified namespace form) into administrator-configured filter templates (userFilter, roleFilter). Before the fix, the only sanitization applied to the substituted value was double backslashed:\n\nfilter = filter.replaceAll(Pattern.quote(\"%u\"), Matcher.quoteReplacement(user));\n\nfilter = filter.replace(\"\\\\\", \"\\\\\\\\\");\n\n\n\n\nThis does not escape the other characters RFC 4515 requires escaping in an LDAP search filter: *, (, ), and NUL. A login name containing any of these can change the structure of the resulting filter rather than being matched as a literal value (e.g. a crafted username can turn an equality match into a wildcard match, or close/reopen filter clauses), widening what the search returns and potentially causing a login or role lookup to match an LDAP entry other than the intended one, over-granting roles, and depending on deployment-specific filter templates, potentially affecting which account a login resolved to.\n\n\n\n\nIt's not exploitable through every entry points: LDAPLoginModule and LDAPPubkeyLoginModule both called Util.doRFC2254Encoding() (correct RFC 4515 escaping) on the login name before handing it to LDAPCache, which masked the missing escaping in LDAPCache for those two call paths. Using LDAPCache directly (bypassing the login modules) does not reproduce through the normal LDAPLoginModule/LDAPPubkeyLoginModule authentication flow for this reason. It does reproduce through two other call paths that reach LDAPCache/LDAPBackingEngine without any prior escaping:\n\n * GSSAPILdapLoginModule passes the NameCallback name straight through, unescaped.\n * LDAPBackingEngine (listRoles) passes principal.getName() straight through, unescaped.",
"severity" : [ {
"type" : "CVSS_V3",
"score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L"
} ],
"affected" : [ ],
"references" : [ {
"type" : "ADVISORY",
"url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-90979"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://karaf.apache.org/security/cve-2026-90979.txt"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/09/28/2"
} ],
"database_specific" : {
"cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-90" ],
"severity" : "HIGH",
"github_reviewed" : false,
"github_reviewed_at" : null,
"nvd_published_at" : "2026-09-28T10:16:45Z"
}
}