# CVE-2022-46145: authentik vulnerable to unauthorized user creation and potential account takeover

> Unauthenticated users can create accounts and potentially take over admin accounts via email verification flows in authentik.

- **Severity:** High 8.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 2 Dec 2022
- **Updated:** 23 Apr 2025
- **Also known as:** BIT-authentik-2022-46145, GHSA-mjfw-54m5-fvjf

## What is CVE-2022-46145?

CVE-2022-46145 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in goauthentik authentik, published on 2 Dec 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

authentik is an open-source identity provider. Versions prior to 2022.11.2 and 2022.10.2 are vulnerable to unauthorized user creation and potential account takeover. With the default flows, unauthenticated users can create new accounts in authentik. If a flow exists that allows for email-verified password recovery, this can be used to overwrite the email address of admin accounts and take over their accounts. authentik 2022.11.2 and 2022.10.2 fix this issue. As a workaround, a policy can be created and bound to the `default-user-settings-flow flow` with the contents `return request.user.is_authenticated`.

Weakness: CWE-306 (Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality), CWE-287 (Improper Authentication)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-46145?

1 open source package ship an affected version, including authentik. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `authentik` | Bitnami | All versions | 2022.10.2, 2022.11.2 |

Products: Goauthentik Authentik.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-46145?

Upgrade authentik to a fixed version for your release line: 2022.10.2 or 2022.11.2.

## Is CVE-2022-46145 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-46145 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in goauthentik authentik

- [CVE-2026-49448](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-49448/): authentik: SourceStage bypass via empty POST (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2023-46249](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-46249/): authentik potential installation takeover when default admin user is deleted (critical 9.7)
- [CVE-2022-23555](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-23555/): authentik vulnerable to Improper Authentication via invitation URL token reuse (critical 9.4)
- [CVE-2026-42849](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-42849/): authentik: Reflected XSS in SFE AutosubmitStage allows IDP account takeover (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2026-25227](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-25227/): authentik affected by Remote Code Execution via Context Key Injection in PropertyMapping Test Endpoint (critical 9.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-46145 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-46145 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in goauthentik authentik, published on 2 Dec 2022. 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-2022-46145 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- authentik (Bitnami): affected all versions; fixed in 2022.10.2, 2022.11.2

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-2022-46145/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-46145/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-46145
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-46145
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-46145

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-46145/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.