CVE-2020-26250: jupyter oauthenticator Incorrect Authorization
Vulnerability summary
CVE-2020-26250 is a medium (CVSS 6.3) Incorrect Authorization vulnerability in jupyter oauthenticator. EPSS estimates a 1.13% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 65.9% of scored vulnerabilities.
Timeline
- 01-12-2020PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
- 04-08-2024Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.
Description
OAuthenticator is an OAuth login mechanism for JupyterHub. In oauthenticator from version 0.12.0 and before 0.12.2, the deprecated (in jupyterhub 1.2) configuration `Authenticator.whitelist`, which should be transparently mapped to `Authenticator.allowed_users` with a warning, is instead ignored by OAuthenticator classes, resulting in the same behavior as if this configuration has not been set. If this is the only mechanism of authorization restriction (i.e. no group or team restrictions in configuration) then all authenticated users will be allowed. Provider-based restrictions, including deprecated values such as `GitHubOAuthenticator.org_whitelist` are **not** affected. All users of OAuthenticator 0.12.0 and 0.12.1 with JupyterHub 1.2 (JupyterHub Helm chart 0.10.0-0.10.5) who use the `admin.whitelist.users` configuration in the jupyterhub helm chart or the `c.Authenticator.whitelist` configuration directly. Users of other deprecated configuration, e.g. `c.GitHubOAuthenticator.team_whitelist` are **not** affected. If you see a log line like this and expect a specific list of allowed usernames: "[I 2020-11-27 16:51:54.528 JupyterHub app:1717] Not using allowed_users. Any authenticated user will be allowed." you are likely affected. Updating oauthenticator to 0.12.2 is recommended. A workaround is to replace the deprecated `c.Authenticator.whitelist = ...` with `c.Authenticator.allowed_users = ...`. If any users have been authorized during this time who should not have been, they must be deleted via the API or admin interface, per the referenced documentation.
CVSS metrics
5 scores · 3 sources · 3 versions- OSV · PypiEcosystem advisory · calculated6.3MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N
- NVDNIST6.3MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N
EPSS trend
Probability
1.13%
Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days
Percentile
66%
Versus all other CVEs
30-day change
0.00 pp
From 1.13% on 20-09-2026
Known exploited
Compare KEV catalogsNot in any of the 3 tracked catalogs.
Public exploits
0 foundNo public exploits indexed.
Weaknesses
CWE · root causeAffected systems
Jupyter1 product
- oauthenticator≥ 0.12.0, < 0.12.2
Jupyterhub1 product
- oauthenticator≥ 0.12.0, < 0.12.2
PyPI1 product
- oauthenticator< a4aac191c16cf6281f3d346615aefa75702b02d7 | ≥ 0.12.0, < 0.12.2
3 vendors · 3 products
References
7 links- github.com/jupyterhub/oauthenticator/security/advisories/GHSA-384w-5v3f-q499X Refsource CONFIRMWEBAdvisoryThird Party Advisory
- github.com/jupyterhub/oauthenticator/commit/a4aac191c16cf6281f3d346615aefa75702b02d7X Refsource MISCWEBFIXPatchThird Party Advisory
- github.com/jupyterhub/oauthenticator/blob/master/docs/source/changelog.mdX Refsource MISCWEBRelease NotesThird Party Advisory
- jupyterhub.readthedocs.io/en/1.2.2/getting-started/authenticators-users-basics.htmlX Refsource MISCWEBThird Party Advisory