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Vulnerability record · CVE-2026-40172 · published 22 May 2026

CVE-2026-40172: Improper privilege management vulnerability

authentik is an open-source identity provider. In versions prior to 2025.12.5 and 2026.2.0-rc1 through 2026.2.2, the PATCH /api/v3/core/users/{pk}/ API allows a caller with change_user on a target user to assign arbitrary groups through UserSerializer, including groups with is_superuser=True, without requiring enable_group_superuser, leading to privilege escalation. This bypasses the stricter permission model enforced in group-management paths and enables delegated user-management permissions to escalate target users to administrator-equivalent privilege. Users with permissions to update groups or permissions to update users are able to add themselves or other users they have permissions on to users which have superuser permissions. This issue has been fixed in versions 22025.12.5 and 2026.2.3.

8.1 CVSS 3.1 High EPSS 0.72% · top 48.2% CWE-269 · Improper privilege management Deferred
8.1CVSS 3.1 base score
0.72%EPSS exploitation probability, 30 days
NoNot in CISA KEV
0Affected product versions listed by NVD
3References
23 Jul 2026Last modified by NVD

Description

authentik is an open-source identity provider. In versions prior to 2025.12.5 and 2026.2.0-rc1 through 2026.2.2, the PATCH /api/v3/core/users/{pk}/ API allows a caller with change_user on a target user to assign arbitrary groups through UserSerializer, including groups with is_superuser=True, without requiring enable_group_superuser, leading to privilege escalation. This bypasses the stricter permission model enforced in group-management paths and enables delegated user-management permissions to escalate target users to administrator-equivalent privilege. Users with permissions to update groups or permissions to update users are able to add themselves or other users they have permissions on to users which have superuser permissions. This issue has been fixed in versions 22025.12.5 and 2026.2.3.

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H

References

LinkTags
https://github.com/goauthentik/authentik/releases/tag/version%2F2025.12.5
https://github.com/goauthentik/authentik/releases/tag/version%2F2026.2.3
https://github.com/goauthentik/authentik/security/advisories/GHSA-h6x7-hjjc-wjc9

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Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database (record CVE-2026-40172), CISA KEV, FIRST EPSS (scores of 2026-09-26). This page is refreshed as NVD updates the record.