CVE-2023-37471

OpenAM vulnerable to user impersonation using SAMLv1.x SSO process

Workarounds

One should comment servlet SAMLPOSTProfileServlet in web.xml or disable SAML in OpenAM

<servlet>
    <description>SAMLPOSTProfileServlet</description>
    <servlet-name>SAMLPOSTProfileServlet</servlet-name>
    <servlet-class>com.sun.identity.saml.servlet.SAMLPOSTProfileServlet</servlet-class>
</servlet>
...
<servlet-mapping>
    <servlet-name>SAMLSOAPReceiver</servlet-name>
    <url-pattern>/SAMLSOAPReceiver</url-pattern>
</servlet-mapping>

References

#624

OpenAM up to version 14.7.2 does not properly validate the signature of SAML responses received as part of the SAMLv1.x Single Sign-On process. Attackers can use this fact to impersonate any OpenAM user, including the administrator, by sending a specially crafted SAML response to the SAMLPOSTProfileServlet servlet.

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-2023-37471 has a CVSS score of 9.1 (Critical). The vector is network-reachable, no 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 (14.7.3); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

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This problem has been patched in OpenAM 14.7.3-SNAPSHOT and later

1. What is CVE-2023-37471? CVE-2023-37471 is a critical-severity improper authentication vulnerability in org.openidentityplatform.openam:openam-federation-library (maven), affecting versions < 14.7.3. It is fixed in 14.7.3. The application does not adequately verify the identity of a user, device, or process before granting access.
2. How severe is CVE-2023-37471? CVE-2023-37471 has a CVSS score of 9.1 (Critical). 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.
3. Which versions of org.openidentityplatform.openam:openam-federation-library are affected by CVE-2023-37471? org.openidentityplatform.openam:openam-federation-library (maven) versions < 14.7.3 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2023-37471? Yes. CVE-2023-37471 is fixed in 14.7.3. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2023-37471 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2023-37471 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
6. What actually determines whether CVE-2023-37471 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.
7. How do I fix CVE-2023-37471? Upgrade org.openidentityplatform.openam:openam-federation-library to 14.7.3 or later.

Other vulnerabilities in org.openidentityplatform.openam:openam-federation-library