Apache bRPC: Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality
CVE-2026-78334 is a critical-severity missing authentication for critical functionality vulnerability in Apache bRPC from Apache, with a CVSS 3.1 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. The record lists version 1.18.0 as the first without the flaw, so updating Apache bRPC to that release or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.66% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 52% of scored CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Update Apache bRPC to 1.18.0 or a later version.
- 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 bRPC | before 1.18.0 | 1.18.0 |
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
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H. Scored by CISA (ADP).
Official description
Missing authentication in the streaming RPC path of Apache bRPC (version < 1.18.0) on all platforms allows a remote attacker to bypass server authentication and inject or deliver streaming frames, when a server is configured with an Authenticator. Root Cause: When authentication is configured, streaming RPC frames are consumed directly by the streaming parser (ParseStreamingMessage) and never pass through InputMessenger's authentication hook, so an unauthenticated peer can exchange frames without being authenticated. In addition, a server-accepted stream is bound lazily to the first frame that happens to carry its id, so a stream could accept a frame carrying its id from a socket other than the socket that created the stream. Affected Scenarios: A bRPC server configured with authentication that serves streaming RPC from an untrusted network, or a deployment where a foreign connection can impersonate a stream by id, can be made to accept unauthorized streaming frames. How to Fix: Upgrade bRPC to 1.18.0, which fixes this issue, or apply the patch in PR https://github.com/apache/brpc/pull/3481. Note: The fix rejects streaming frames on server sockets when configured authentication has not completed, and keeps server-accepted streams bound to the socket of their creating RPC and rejects frames arriving from another socket. Authenticated streaming RPC behavior and the wire format are unchanged; only unauthenticated or foreign-socket frames are now rejected.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality
The product does not perform any authentication for functionality that requires a provable user identity or consumes a significant amount of resources.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- For any security checks that are performed on the client side, ensure that these checks are duplicated on the server side, in order to avoid CWE-602. Attackers can bypass the client-side checks by modifying values after the checks have been performed, or by changing the client to remove the client-side checks entirely. Then, these modified values would be submitted to the server.
- Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. For example, consider using libraries with authentication capabilities such as OpenSSL or the ESAPI Authenticator.
- When storing data in the cloud (e.g., S3 buckets, Azure blobs, Google Cloud Storage, etc.), use the provider's controls to require strong authentication for users who should be allowed to access the data.
More Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality vulnerabilities (CWE-306)
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
Other references
Other vulnerabilities in Apache bRPC
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
Recent Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality vulnerabilities
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 9.0 Critical severity
- 10.0 Critical severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
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