CVE-2026-16764 OWASP DefectDojo API/Web serializers.py UserSerializer privileges management
Remote attackers can escalate privileges by manipulating the is_staff argument in the UserSerializer API endpoint.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Any signed-in user
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- None listed
What is CVE-2026-16764?
CVE-2026-16764 is a medium-severity vulnerability in OWASP DefectDojo, published on 23 Jul 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Official description
A vulnerability was identified in OWASP DefectDojo 2.59.0. This issue affects the function UserSerializer of the file dojo/api_v2/serializers.py of the component API/Web. Such manipulation of the argument is_staff leads to improper privilege management. The attack may be performed from remote. The exploit is publicly available and might be used. Upgrading to version 2.58.3 and 3.0.0 is capable of addressing this issue. The name of the patch is 68a272f299d096249fd3ba9c2676bf69012857bf. It is advisable to upgrade the affected component. 2.59.0 was not intended to be released and has been removed.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-16764?
How do I fix CVE-2026-16764?
No fix has been published for CVE-2026-16764 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.
Is CVE-2026-16764 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-16764 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Public exploit code: 1 proofs of concept on GitHub.
Sources
Also known as GHSA-43fx-4mqw-qphw, GHSA-w2j3-x3j3-mm43.