CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2026-84458NVD status: Deferred

zammad: Improper Authentication

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2026-84458 is a critical-severity improper authentication vulnerability in zammad, 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 zammad versions: < 7.1.2. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.36% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Patch this week

Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.

What to do

  1. Check which version of zammad you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
  2. Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
  3. Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
Zammadzammad< 7.1.2Not 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

Zammad is a web based open source helpdesk/customer support system. Prior to 7.1.2, when the "Automatic account link on initial logon" setting is enabled, Zammad binds an incoming third-party (SSO) identity to an existing local account by matching the email address the identity provider reports, without verifying that the provider actually confirmed ownership of that email. An attacker who controls any identity at a configured provider, including, by default, any Azure AD tenant via Zammad's multi-tenant Microsoft 365 /common app registration, can set that identity's email to a victim's address, authenticate, and be logged in as the victim. This bypasses the victim's local password entirely and affects any existing account, including agents and administrators. Zammad will honor the xms_edov ID token claim when email verification is required in the Microsoft 365 setting, treating a missing claim as unverified. This issue is fixed in version 7.1.2.

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.

More Improper Authentication vulnerabilities (CWE-287)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: total).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other vulnerabilities in zammad

All zammad vulnerabilities

Recent Improper Authentication vulnerabilities

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