CVE-2026-97791 — Apache CXF: STSTokenValidator can accept untrusted SAML assertions because it shares validation state between requests

Description (CNA)

In Apache CXF, STSTokenValidator checks whether a SAML assertion is signed by a trusted certificate before deciding to send it to the STS. That result was stored in one object shared by all requests, so one request could read another's result. A remote, unauthenticated attacker could send a forged assertion signed with an untrusted certificate while legitimate requests were being processed, and it could be accepted as trusted without ever reaching the STS. Only services that use STSTokenValidator to validate SAML tokens without alwaysValidateToSts set are affected. Users are recommended to upgrade to versions 4.2.4 or 4.1.9 or 3.6.13, which fix this issue.

Affected (CNA)

Vendor / product	Versions
Apache Software Foundation / Apache CXF	affected 4.2.0 before 4.2.4; affected 4.0.0 before 4.1.9; affected 0 before 3.6.13

CWE

No CWE identifiers supplied.

References

https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/ssdr417qgms9fjl0m8802xd8170wnk1l

ADP enrichment

CVE

No English description supplied.

http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/10/09/10

CISA-ADP

No English description supplied.

No references supplied.