# CVE-2021-41266: Authentication bypass issue in the Operator Console

> Attackers can bypass authentication in the MinIO Operator Console when an external IDP is enabled, gaining unauthorized access.

- **Severity:** High 8.6 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 15 Nov 2021
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-4999-659w-mq36, GO-2022-0261

## What is CVE-2021-41266?

CVE-2021-41266 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in minio console, published on 15 Nov 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Minio console is a graphical user interface for the for MinIO operator. Minio itself is a multi-cloud object storage project. Affected versions are subject to an authentication bypass issue in the Operator Console when an external IDP is enabled. All users on release v0.12.2 and before are affected and are advised to update to 0.12.3 or newer. Users unable to upgrade should add automountServiceAccountToken: false to the operator-console deployment in Kubernetes so no service account token will get mounted inside the pod, then disable the external identity provider authentication by unset the CONSOLE_IDP_URL, CONSOLE_IDP_CLIENT_ID, CONSOLE_IDP_SECRET and CONSOLE_IDP_CALLBACK environment variable and instead use the Kubernetes service account token.

Weakness: CWE-306 (Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-41266?

3 open source packages ship an affected version, including github.com/minio/console. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `github.com/minio/console` | Go | All versions | 0.12.3 |
| `github.com/minio/console` | Go | All versions | 0.12.3 |
| `github.com/minio/console` | Go | All versions | 0.12.3 |

Products: Min Minio Console.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-41266?

Upgrade github.com/minio/console to 0.12.3 or later.

## Is CVE-2021-41266 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2021-41266 exists.

Public exploit code:

- MinIO Operator Console Authentication Bypass (nuclei): http/cves/2021/CVE-2021-41266.yaml

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-41266 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-41266 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in minio console, published on 15 Nov 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2021-41266 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- github.com/minio/console (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 0.12.3
- github.com/minio/console (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 0.12.3
- github.com/minio/console (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 0.12.3

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-2021-41266/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-41266/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-41266
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-41266
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-41266

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-41266/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.