What the vulnerability does
01Description
Joomla Extension - miniorange.com - Unauthenticated Authentication Bypass via SAMLResponse Parameter in miniOrange SAML SSO < 11.0.2, SAML SP Single Sign On – Login with ADFS < 6.4, SAML SP Single Sign On – SAML SSO login with Google Apps < 6.4 - This is due to the mo_saml_validate_signature() function performing a loose boolean check on the raw tri-state integer returned by PHP's openssl_verify(), causing an error return value of -1 to be evaluated as truthy and therefore treated as a successful signature verification. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to log in as any existing Joomla user, including administrators, by submitting a crafted SAMLResponse containing an attacker-controlled NameID and a deliberately malformed signature value that triggers an OpenSSL processing error — bypassing verification entirely and resulting in wp_set_auth_cookie() being called for the targeted account.
Explanation of Vulnerability in Simple Terms
02Summary
The SAML SSO Free extension for Joomla contains an authorization bypass vulnerability that allows unauthenticated attackers to gain full control over the site. The vulnerability stems from improper validation of user-supplied authorization keys, enabling attackers to bypass authentication and access sensitive functions without valid credentials. This affects all versions from 1.0.0 through 11.0.1.
What an attacker can do
03Attacker Capabilities
Bypass authentication and gain full administrative access to the Joomla site without valid credentials.
Potential impact on your site
04Site Impact
Attackers can take complete control of your Joomla site, modify content, steal data, and inject malicious code.
Conditions required to exploit
05Prerequisites
No authentication or user interaction required; attacker needs only network access to the site.
Key dates
06Disclosure timeline
August 25, 2026
CVE published
August 26, 2026
Record updated
