CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2026-3121NVD status: Modified

Red Hat build of Keycloak 26.4: Incorrect Privilege Assignment

CVE-2026-3121 is a high-severity incorrect privilege assignment vulnerability in Red Hat build of Keycloak 26.4 from Red Hat, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.2 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an attacker with administrator privileges, without any action from a user. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.49% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Check which version of Red Hat build of Keycloak 26.4 you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
  2. Read the advisory on access.redhat.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
Red HatRed Hat build of Keycloak 26.4Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat build of Keycloak 26.4.11Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 8Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform Expansion PackNot specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Single Sign-On 7Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatBuild Of KeycloakNot specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatJboss Enterprise Application Platform8.0.0Not stated
Red HatJboss Enterprise Application Platform Expansion PackNot specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatSingle Sign-on7.0Not stated

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.
Privileges required
HighAdministrator-level access is required first.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
Integrity
HighData or code can be modified at will.
Availability
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.16.5MediumCNA (redhat.com)
CVSS 3.17.2HighNVD

Official description

A flaw was found in Keycloak. An administrator with `manage-clients` permission can exploit a misconfiguration where this permission is equivalent to `manage-permissions`. This allows the administrator to escalate privileges and gain control over roles, users, or other administrative functions within the realm. This privilege escalation can occur when admin permissions are enabled at the realm level.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Incorrect Privilege Assignment

A product incorrectly assigns a privilege to a particular actor, creating an unintended sphere of control for that actor.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Very carefully manage the setting, management, and handling of privileges. Explicitly manage trust zones in the software.
  • Run your code using the lowest privileges that are required to accomplish the necessary tasks. If possible, create isolated accounts with limited privileges that are only used for a single task. That way, a successful attack will not immediately give the attacker access to the rest of the software or its environment. For example, database applications rarely need to run as the database administrator, especially in day-to-day operations.

More Incorrect Privilege Assignment vulnerabilities (CWE-266)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other vulnerabilities in Red Hat build of Keycloak 26.4

All Red Hat build of Keycloak 26.4 vulnerabilities

Recent Incorrect Privilege Assignment vulnerabilities

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