7.5

CVE-2021-32701: Possible bypass of token claim validation when OAuth2 Introspection caching is enabled

Modified
AliasesGHSA-qvp4-rpmr-xwrrGHSA-vfvf-6gx5-mqv6GO-2022-0406
Published 22-06-2021Last modified 03-08-2024

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2021-32701 is a high (CVSS 7.5) Incorrect Authorization vulnerability in ory oathkeeper. EPSS estimates a 1.63% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 76.2% of scored vulnerabilities.

Priority
Prioritisesevere

Severe, CVSS 7.5 (CVE.org); no exploitation reported by the 5 checked sources; EPSS 2% (FIRST, 03-11-2026)

Source freshness unavailable

How is this decided?
CVSS score
7.5/10
010
High · v3.1 (CVE.org)
EPSS score
1.63%
0%100%
Low · 0.00 pp in 30 days
KEVNot listedNot listed by any tracked catalog.
RansomwareNot flaggedNo ransomware use recorded.
Public exploits0No public exploits recorded

Timeline

  1. 22-06-2021
    PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
  2. 03-08-2024
    Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

ORY Oathkeeper is an Identity & Access Proxy (IAP) and Access Control Decision API that authorizes HTTP requests based on sets of Access Rules. When you make a request to an endpoint that requires the scope `foo` using an access token granted with that `foo` scope, introspection will be valid and that token will be cached. The problem comes when a second requests to an endpoint that requires the scope `bar` is made before the cache has expired. Whether the token is granted or not to the `bar` scope, introspection will be valid. A patch will be released with `v0.38.12-beta.1`. Per default, caching is disabled for the `oauth2_introspection` authenticator. When caching is disabled, this vulnerability does not exist. The cache is checked in [`func (a *AuthenticatorOAuth2Introspection) Authenticate(...)`](https://github.com/ory/oathkeeper/blob/6a31df1c3779425e05db1c2a381166b087cb29a4/pipeline/authn/authenticator_oauth2_introspection.go#L152). From [`tokenFromCache()`](https://github.com/ory/oathkeeper/blob/6a31df1c3779425e05db1c2a381166b087cb29a4/pipeline/authn/authenticator_oauth2_introspection.go#L97) it seems that it only validates the token expiration date, but ignores whether the token has or not the proper scopes. The vulnerability was introduced in PR #424. During review, we failed to require appropriate test coverage by the submitter which is the primary reason that the vulnerability passed the review process.

CVSS metrics

4 scores · 3 sources · 2 versions

EPSS trend

Probability

1.63%

Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days

Percentile

76%

Versus all other CVEs

30-day change

No change 0.00 pp

From 1.63% on 04-10-2026

04-10-202603-11-2026

Known exploited

Compare KEV catalogs
CISA KEV

Not in the CISA KEV catalog.

ENISA CNW

Not in the ENISA CNW catalog.

CIRCL

Not in the CIRCL catalog.

Public exploits

0 found

No public exploits indexed.

Weaknesses

CWE · root cause

Affected systems

Version check

Known conditions: network-reachable, no authentication, no user interaction (CVSS vector). Other conditions: not stated in public data.

Github.com/ory1 product
  • oathkeeper≥ 0.38.0-beta.2, < 0.38.12-beta.1
Ory1 product
  • oathkeeper≥ v0.38.0-beta.2, < v0.38.12-beta.1 | 0.38.0:beta2 | 0.38.1:beta2 | 0.38.2:beta1 | 0.38.3:beta1 | 0.38.4:beta1 | 0.38.5:beta1 | 0.38.6:beta1 | 0.38.7:beta1 | 0.38.8:beta1 | 0.38.9:beta1 | 0.38.10:beta2 | 0.38.11:beta1

2 vendors · 2 products

References

5 links