# CVE-2012-4456: OpenStack Keystone Improper Authentication vulnerability

> Remote attackers can bypass authentication to read user roles and manage arbitrary services in OpenStack Keystone.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 9 Oct 2012
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2012-4456, GHSA-mf98-r2gf-2x3w, PYSEC-2026-832

## What is CVE-2012-4456?

CVE-2012-4456 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in n/a, published on 9 Oct 2012. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The (1) OS-KSADM/services and (2) tenant APIs in OpenStack Keystone Essex before 2012.1.2 and Folsom before folsom-2 do not properly validate X-Auth-Token, which allow remote attackers to read the roles for an arbitrary user or get, create, or delete arbitrary services.

Weakness: CWE-287 (Improper Authentication)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2012-4456?

3 open source packages ship an affected version, including keystone. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `keystone` | PyPI | From 2012.1 | 2012.1.2 |
| `keystone` | PyPI | From 2012.1 | 2012.1.2 |
| `keystone` | PyPI | From 2012.1 | 2012.1.2 |

Products: Openstack Keystone.

## How do I fix CVE-2012-4456?

Upgrade keystone to 2012.1.2 or later.

## Is CVE-2012-4456 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2012-4456 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2020-12690](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-12690/): Insufficient Session Expiration in OpenStack Keystone (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2019-19687](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-19687/): OpenStack Keystone Credential Leakage (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2026-43001](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-43001/): OpenStack Keystone has an Incorrect Authorization Issue (high 7.9)
- [CVE-2014-2828](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-2828/): OpenStack Identity (Keystone) DoS through V3 API authentication chaining (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2021-38155](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-38155/): OpenStack Keystone allows information disclosure during account locking (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2012-4456 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2012-4456 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in n/a, published on 9 Oct 2012. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2012-4456 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- keystone (PyPI): affected from 2012.1; fixed in 2012.1.2
- keystone (PyPI): affected from 2012.1; fixed in 2012.1.2
- keystone (PyPI): affected from 2012.1; fixed in 2012.1.2

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-2012-4456/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-4456/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2012-4456
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-4456
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2012-4456

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-4456/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.