# CVE-2026-97404: Auth bypass in Zaqar

> Unauthenticated attackers can bypass Keystone authentication to read, modify, or delete project queues and messages in OpenStack Zaqar WSGI deployments.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.2 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 24 Sep 2026
- **Updated:** 26 Sep 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2026-97404, GHSA-j2hp-rfqr-h9c7, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97404

## What is CVE-2026-97404?

CVE-2026-97404 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in OpenStack Zaqar, published on 24 Sep 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In OpenStack Zaqar before 22.0.2, WSGI transport mishandles the URL-Signature header. By sending a request with an empty URL-Signature header, an unauthenticated remote attacker who knows a target project's UUID may bypass both Keystone authentication and pre-signed URL verification, resulting in the ability to read, enumerate, create, and delete that project's queues, messages, claims, and subscriptions. By additionally claiming an administrative role, the attacker may also perform administrative operations, such as managing pools and flavors in admin_mode deployments. Only deployments using the WSGI transport with an authentication strategy configured are affected; the websocket transport is not affected.

Weakness: CWE-348 (Use of Less Trusted Source)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-97404?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-97404?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2026-97404 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-97404 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-97404 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-97404 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in OpenStack Zaqar, published on 24 Sep 2026. 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-2026-97404 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: OpenStack Zaqar. 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-2026-97404/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-97404/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-97404
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-97404
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-97404

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-97404/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.