authentication: Authentication Bypass by Spoofing
CVE-2026-77337 is a critical-severity authentication bypass by spoofing vulnerability in authentication from Cakephp, with a CVSS 4.0 base score of 9.1 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected authentication versions: < 2.11.2; >= 3.0.0, < 3.3.7; >= 4.0.0, < 4.2.1. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.7% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 54% of scored CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Check which version of authentication you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cakephp | authentication | < 2.11.2; >= 3.0.0, < 3.3.7; >= 4.0.0, < 4.2.1 | 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)
- 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:P/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 (github.com).
Official description
CakePHP Authentication is an authentication plugin for CakePHP that can also be used in PSR-7 based applications. Versions before 2.11.2, from 3.0.0 through 3.3.6, and from 4.0.0 through 4.2.0 allow authentication bypass and potential CPU or memory exhaustion when CookieAuthenticator uses unencrypted, forgeable legacy tokens. This issue is fixed in versions 2.11.2, 3.3.7, and 4.2.1.
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: no, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
Recent Authentication Bypass by Spoofing vulnerabilities
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 8.1 High severity
- 7.0 High severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
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