CVE-2023-46249 CRITICAL

CVE-2023-46249: authentik potential installation takeover when default admin user is deleted

Vendor Goauthentik
Product authentik
Weakness CWE-287 · Improper authentication
Published October 31, 2023
Last update September 5, 2024

CVSS base score

9.7/10
Attack vector Network
Attack complexity Low
Privileges required None
User interaction Required
Confidentiality High
Integrity High

CVSS vector

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

What the vulnerability does

01Description

authentik is an open-source Identity Provider. Prior to versions 2023.8.4 and 2023.10.2, when the default admin user has been deleted, it is potentially possible for an attacker to set the password of the default admin user without any authentication. authentik uses a blueprint to create the default admin user, which can also optionally set the default admin users' password from an environment variable. When the user is deleted, the `initial-setup` flow used to configure authentik after the first installation becomes available again. authentik 2023.8.4 and 2023.10.2 fix this issue. As a workaround, ensure the default admin user (Username `akadmin`) exists and has a password set. It is recommended to use a very strong password for this user, and store it in a secure location like a password manager. It is also possible to deactivate the user to prevent any logins as akadmin.

Key dates

02Disclosure timeline

October 31, 2023 CVE published
September 5, 2024 Record updated