assent: Authentication Bypass by Spoofing
CVE-2026-117656 is a critical-severity authentication bypass by spoofing vulnerability in assent from Pow-auth, with a CVSS 4.0 base score of 9.3 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 0.3.2, 18898bde0296152165ae470078490e5798329b1b as the first without the flaw, so updating assent to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.23% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Update assent to 0.3.2 or 18898bde0296152165ae470078490e5798329b1b, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pow-auth | assent | 0.1.25 up to, but not including, 0.3.2; a2d331e8c51376d6c0b04a81aad31e0b4d4d64a3 up to, but not including, 18898bde0296152165ae470078490e5798329b1b | 0.3.2, 18898bde0296152165ae470078490e5798329b1b |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Attack requirements
- NoneThe attack does not depend on a particular deployment or configuration.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Confidentiality (vulnerable system)
- HighSerious loss of confidentiality on the vulnerable system.
- Integrity (vulnerable system)
- HighSerious loss of integrity on the vulnerable system.
- Availability (vulnerable system)
- NoneNo loss of availability on the vulnerable system.
- Confidentiality (other systems)
- NoneNo loss of confidentiality on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
- Integrity (other systems)
- NoneNo loss of integrity on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
- Availability (other systems)
- NoneNo loss of availability on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X. Scored by CNA.
Official description
Acceptance of Extraneous Untrusted Data With Trusted Data vulnerability in the Sign in with Apple strategy in pow-auth Assent allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to impersonate another user via the user parameter of the authorization callback. Apple posts the user's name to the callback endpoint in a user form parameter that the browser submits and the client controls. Assent.Strategy.Apple.callback/2 in lib/assent/strategies/apple.ex decodes that parameter, and fetch_user/2 merges it over the claims of the verified ID token, so the unverified map wins. An attacker who completes a Sign in with Apple login with their own Apple ID and edits the user parameter can replace sub, email, and any other claim. Applications that look up, link, or authorize accounts by the returned subject or email then act on the attacker's values. This issue affects assent: from 0.1.25 before 0.3.2.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Authentication Bypass by Spoofing
This attack-focused weakness is caused by incorrectly implemented authentication schemes that are subject to spoofing attacks.
More Authentication Bypass by Spoofing vulnerabilities (CWE-290)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
Recent Authentication Bypass by Spoofing vulnerabilities
- 7.9 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
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