Summary
An issue was discovered in Keycloak when using a client with the offline_access scope. Reuse of session ids across root and user authentication sessions and a lack of root session validation enabled attackers to resolve a user session attached to a different previously authenticated user.
This issue most affects users of shared computers. Suppose a user logs out of their account (without clearing their cookies) in a mobile app or similar client that includes the offline_access scope, and another user authenticates to the application. In that case, it will share the same root session id, and when utilizing the refresh token, they will be issued a token for the original user.
Impact
The application does not adequately verify the identity of a user, device, or process before granting access. Typical impact: unauthorized access to functions or data reserved for authenticated parties.
CVE-2022-3916 has a CVSS score of 6.8 (Medium). The vector is network-reachable, low privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (20.0.2); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
Remediation advice
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2022-3916? CVE-2022-3916 is a medium-severity improper authentication vulnerability in org.keycloak:keycloak-parent (maven), affecting versions <= 19.0.2. It is fixed in 20.0.2. The application does not adequately verify the identity of a user, device, or process before granting access.
- How severe is CVE-2022-3916? CVE-2022-3916 has a CVSS score of 6.8 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of org.keycloak:keycloak-parent are affected by CVE-2022-3916? org.keycloak:keycloak-parent (maven) versions <= 19.0.2 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2022-3916? Yes. CVE-2022-3916 is fixed in 20.0.2. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2022-3916 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2022-3916 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2022-3916 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2022-3916? Upgrade
org.keycloak:keycloak-parentto 20.0.2 or later.