# CVE-2010-2940: Auth bypass in n/a

> Remote attackers can bypass authentication in SSSD by using an empty password when LDAP anonymous bind is enabled.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.1 (`AV:N/AC:H/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 30 Aug 2010
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2010-2940, GHSA-x9m9-3w3m-hrf4

## What is CVE-2010-2940?

CVE-2010-2940 is a medium-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in n/a, published on 30 Aug 2010. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The auth_send function in providers/ldap/ldap_auth.c in System Security Services Daemon (SSSD) 1.3.0, when LDAP authentication and anonymous bind are enabled, allows remote attackers to bypass the authentication requirements of pam_authenticate via an empty password.

Weakness: CWE-287 (Improper Authentication)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2010-2940?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Fedoraproject Sssd.

## How do I fix CVE-2010-2940?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2010-2940 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2010-2940 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2022-4254](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-4254/): Other in SSSD (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2012-3462](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-3462/): Auth bypass in sssd (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2026-104048](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-104048/): Sssd: sssd: authorization bypass via cross-domain username collision in hbac evaluation (medium 6.8)
- [CVE-2015-5292](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-5292/): Denial of service in n/a (medium 6.8)
- [CVE-2026-12610](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-12610/): Sssd: use-after-free crash in sssd' 'sssd_pam' process (medium 6.4)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2010-2940 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2010-2940 is a medium-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in n/a, published on 30 Aug 2010. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2010-2940 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-2940/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-2940/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2010-2940
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2010-2940
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2010-2940

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-2940/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.