# CVE-2026-97468: Apache CXF: Authentication bypass via weak cache keys for validated STS tokens

> Attackers can bypass authentication in Apache CXF by crafting tokens that collide with cached validated tokens, allowing them to impersonate other users.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 9 Oct 2026
- **Updated:** 15 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** CLEANSTART-2026-IM33662, GHSA-hw52-jg43-v867

## What is CVE-2026-97468?

CVE-2026-97468 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Apache Cxf, published on 9 Oct 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Apache CXF's STSTokenValidator and Security Token Service (STS) cached validated security tokens under a non-cryptographic 32-bit hash of the token (Java Arrays.hashCode/hashCode()), and treated a cache hit as proof that the presented token had already been validated. An attacker could craft a token (for example a UsernameToken or a self-signed SAML Assertion) whose hash collides with a cached entry. The token would then be accepted without password validation, signature trust verification or a call to the STS. This could let the attacker authenticate as another user and, through STS token validation or renewal, obtain STS-signed tokens for that identity.
Users are recommended to upgrade to versions 4.2.4 or 4.1.9 or 3.6.13, which fix this issue.

Weakness: CWE-328 (Use of Weak Hash)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-97468?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Apache Cxf.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-97468?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2026-97468 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-97468 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Apache Cxf

- [CVE-2012-2379](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2379/): XML Signature/Encryption Not Validated in Apache CXF (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2026-66909](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-66909/): Apache CXF: Unsafe deserialization of inbound JMS ObjectMessage (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-68079](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-68079/): Apache CXF: DefaultEncryptingCodeDataProvider allows unlimited authorization code replay (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-50628](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-50628/): Apache CXF: OAuth2: Inverted IP Binding Check Defeats Security Control (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2025-48913](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-48913/): Apache CXF: Untrusted JMS configuration can lead to RCE (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-97468 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-97468 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Apache Cxf, published on 9 Oct 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-2026-97468 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Apache Cxf. 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-2026-97468/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-97468/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-97468
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-97468
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-97468

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-97468/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.