Apache Shiro: Authentication Bypass by Alternate Name
CVE-2026-56091 is a high-severity authentication bypass by alternate name vulnerability in Apache Shiro from Apache, with a CVSS 4.0 base score of 8.2 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected Apache Shiro versions: 2.99.99 and earlier; 3.0.0-alpha-0 through 3.0.0-alpha-1. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.67% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 53% of scored CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Check which version of Apache Shiro you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apache | Apache Shiro | 2.99.99 and earlier; 3.0.0-alpha-0 through 3.0.0-alpha-1 | Not 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.
- Attack requirements
- PresentThe target must be in a specific state or configuration for the attack to work.
- 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)
- NoneNo 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:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/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:P/AU:Y/R:X/V:D/RE:L/U:Amber. Scored by CNA (apache.org).
Official description
When using Apache Shiro with the shiro-guice module in a web servlet context, a specially crafted HTTP request may cause an authentication bypass. This vulnerability is similar to https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-1957 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord , except that it affects the `shiro-guice` module instead of the `shiro-spring` module. This issue affects all Apache Shiro versions through 2.x, and 3.0.0-alpha-1 only when using `shiro-guice` module in a web servlet context. Upgrade to version 3.0.0 or later, which fixes the issue.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Authentication Bypass by Alternate Name
The product performs authentication based on the name of a resource being accessed, or the name of the actor performing the access, but it does not properly check all possible names for that resource or actor.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Avoid making decisions based on names of resources (e.g. files) if those resources can have alternate names.
- Inputs should be decoded and canonicalized to the application's current internal representation before being validated (CWE-180). Make sure that the application does not decode the same input twice (CWE-174). Such errors could be used to bypass allowlist validation schemes by introducing dangerous inputs after they have been checked.
More Authentication Bypass by Alternate Name vulnerabilities (CWE-289)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Other references
Other vulnerabilities in Apache Shiro
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
Recent Authentication Bypass by Alternate Name vulnerabilities
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
Spotted an error? Tell us.