CVE-2026-22797
Description
A flaw was found in OpenStack keystonemiddleware. The external_oauth2_token middleware fails to properly sanitize incoming authentication headers. An authenticated attacker can exploit this by sending forged identity headers, such as X-Is-Admin-Project, X-Roles, or X-User-Id. This can lead to privilege escalation or impersonation of other users within the system.
Statement
This is an IMPORTANT privilege escalation flaw in OpenStack keystonemiddleware. The external_oauth2_token middleware does not correctly sanitize incoming authentication headers. An authenticated attacker can exploit this by sending forged identity headers, such as X-Is-Admin-Project, X-Roles, or X-User-Id, to escalate privileges or impersonate other users. All Red Hat OpenStack Platform deployments utilizing the external_oauth2_token middleware are affected.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Info alert:Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 9.9 | N/A | 9.9 |
| Attack Vector | Network | N/A | Network |
| Attack Complexity | Low | N/A | Low |
| Privileges Required | Low | N/A | Low |
| User Interaction | None | N/A | None |
| Scope | Changed | N/A | Changed |
| Confidentiality | High | N/A | High |
| Integrity Impact | High | N/A | High |
| Availability Impact | Low | N/A | Low |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:L
cve.org: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:L
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Access Control
Technical Impact: Bypass Protection Mechanism; Gain Privileges or Assume Identity
This weakness can allow an attacker to access resources which are not otherwise accessible without proper authentication.
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