Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.12: Improper Authentication
CVE-2026-46579 is a high-severity improper authentication vulnerability in Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.12 from Red Hat, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.45% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Check which version of Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.12 you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- Read the advisory on access.redhat.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
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
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- NoneNo data is disclosed.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- NoneAvailability is not affected.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N. Scored by NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.4 | High | CNA (redhat.com) |
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.5 | High | NVD |
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.4 | High | CNA |
Official description
A flaw was found in the OpenShift Router. When a Route has `insecureEdgeTerminationPolicy` set to Allow, the HTTP frontend does not remove `X-SSL-Client-*` headers from incoming requests. This allows an unauthenticated attacker to send plain HTTP requests with crafted `X-SSL-Client-*` headers. As a result, backends relying on these headers for mutual TLS (Transport Layer Security) authentication can be bypassed, enabling the attacker to impersonate client certificate identities.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Improper Authentication
When an actor claims to have a given identity, the product does not prove or insufficiently proves that the claim is correct.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Use an authentication framework or library such as the OWASP ESAPI Authentication feature.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Advisories
Other references
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:27009
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:27044
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:27063
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:37580
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:40022
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:40828
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:43227
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:43253
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:43331
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:47703
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:47728
- security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-46579.json
Other vulnerabilities in Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.12
- 7.7 High severity
- 7.7 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 9.3 Critical severity
- 7.4 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
Recent Improper Authentication vulnerabilities
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 7.4 High severity
- 9.3 Critical severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
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