CVE-2025-48044

Ash has authorization bypass when bypass policy condition evaluates to true

{%{bypass?: true}, cond_expr, complete_expr}, {one_condition_matches, all_policies_match} ->
  {
    b(cond_expr or one_condition_matches),  # <- Bug: uses condition only
    b(complete_expr or all_policies_match)
  }

policies do
  bypass always() do
    authorize_if actor_attribute_equals(:is_admin, true)
  end

  policy action_type(:read) do
    authorize_if always()
  end
end

test "bypass policy bug" do
  policies = [
    %Ash.Policy.Policy{
      bypass?: true,
      condition: [{Ash.Policy.Check.Static, result: true}],  # condition = true
      policies: [
        %Ash.Policy.Check{
          type: :authorize_if,
          check: {Ash.Policy.Check.Static, result: false},  # policies = false
          check_module: Ash.Policy.Check.Static,
          check_opts: [result: false]
        }
      ]
    },
    %Ash.Policy.Policy{
      bypass?: false,
      condition: [{Ash.Policy.Check.Static, result: false}],
      policies: [
        %Ash.Policy.Check{
          type: :authorize_if,
          check: {Ash.Policy.Check.Static, result: true},
          check_module: Ash.Policy.Check.Static,
          check_opts: [result: true]
        }
      ]
    }
  ]

  expression = Ash.Policy.Policy.expression(policies, %{})
  
  assert expression == false
  # Expected: false (deny)
  # Actual on main: true (incorrectly authorized)
end

Resources with bypass policies can be accessed without proper authorization when:

• Bypass condition evaluates to true
• Bypass authorization checks fail
• Other policies exist but their conditions don't match

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-2025-48044 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 (3.7.1); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

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Replace cond_expr with complete_expr on line 69:

{%{bypass?: true}, _cond_expr, complete_expr}, {one_condition_matches, all_policies_match} ->
  {
    b(complete_expr or one_condition_matches),  # <- Fixed
    b(complete_expr or all_policies_match)
  }

Line 52 should also be updated for consistency (though it's only triggered when bypass is the last policy, making it coincidentally safe in practice):

{%{bypass?: true}, _cond_expr, complete_expr}, {one_condition_matches, true} ->
  {
    b(complete_expr or one_condition_matches),  # <- For consistency
    complete_expr
  }

1. What is CVE-2025-48044? CVE-2025-48044 is a high-severity incorrect authorization vulnerability in ash (erlang), affecting versions >= 3.6.3, <= 3.7.0. It is fixed in 3.7.1. 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-2025-48044? CVE-2025-48044 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 ash are affected by CVE-2025-48044? ash (erlang) versions >= 3.6.3, <= 3.7.0 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2025-48044? Yes. CVE-2025-48044 is fixed in 3.7.1. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2025-48044 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2025-48044 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-2025-48044 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-2025-48044? Upgrade ash to 3.7.1 or later.

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