CVE-2024-37300

Workarounds

Do not upgrade to JupyterHub 5.0 when using GlobusOAuthenticator in the prior configuration.

JupyterHub < 5.0, when used with GlobusOAuthenticator, could be configured to allow all users from a particular institution only. The configuration for this would look like:

# Require users to be using the "foo.horse" identity provider, often an institution or university
c.GlobusAuthenticator.identity_provider = "foo.horse"
# Allow everyone who has that identity provider to log in
c.GlobusAuthenticator.allow_all = True

This worked fine prior to JupyterHub 5.0, because allow_all did not take precedence over identity_provider.

Since JupyterHub 5.0, allow_all does take precedence over identity_provider. On a hub with the same config, now all users will be allowed to login, regardless of identity_provider. identity_provider will basically be ignored.

This is a documented change in JupyterHub 5.0,
but is likely to catch many users by surprise.

The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions. Typical impact: unauthorized data access or execution of privileged operations.

CVE-2024-37300 has a CVSS score of 8.1 (High). 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 (16.3.1); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

OAuthenticator 16.3.1 fixes the issue with JupyterHub 5.0, and does not affect previous versions.

1. What is CVE-2024-37300? CVE-2024-37300 is a high-severity incorrect authorization vulnerability in oauthenticator (pip), affecting versions < 16.3.1. It is fixed in 16.3.1. The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions.
2. How severe is CVE-2024-37300? CVE-2024-37300 has a CVSS score of 8.1 (High). 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 oauthenticator are affected by CVE-2024-37300? oauthenticator (pip) versions < 16.3.1 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2024-37300? Yes. CVE-2024-37300 is fixed in 16.3.1. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2024-37300 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2024-37300 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-2024-37300 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-2024-37300? Upgrade oauthenticator to 16.3.1 or later.

Other vulnerabilities in oauthenticator