Summary
Deactivated users that had either enrolled via OAuth/SAML or had their account connected to an OAuth/SAML account can still partially access authentik even if their account is deactivated. They end up in a half-authenticated state where they cannot access the API but crucially they can authorize applications if they know the URL of the application.
Workarounds
Adding an expression policy to the user login stage on the respective authentication flow with the expression of
return request.context["pending_user"].is_active
This expression will only activate the user login stage when the user is active.
For more information
If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:
- Email us at [email protected].
Impact
The application assigns, modifies, tracks, or checks privileges incorrectly, allowing a user to gain elevated access. Typical impact: privilege escalation beyond the intended level.
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
authentik 2025.4.4 and 2025.6.4 fix this issue.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2025-53942? CVE-2025-53942 is a high-severity improper privilege management vulnerability in goauthentik.io (go), affecting versions < 0.0.0-20250722122105-7a4c6b9b50f8. It is fixed in 0.0.0-20250722122105-7a4c6b9b50f8. The application assigns, modifies, tracks, or checks privileges incorrectly, allowing a user to gain elevated access.
- Which versions of goauthentik.io are affected by CVE-2025-53942? goauthentik.io (go) versions < 0.0.0-20250722122105-7a4c6b9b50f8 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2025-53942? Yes. CVE-2025-53942 is fixed in 0.0.0-20250722122105-7a4c6b9b50f8. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2025-53942 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2025-53942 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-2025-53942 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-2025-53942? Upgrade
goauthentik.ioto 0.0.0-20250722122105-7a4c6b9b50f8 or later.