CVE-2026-40172
8.1 · HIGHOverview
CVE-2026-40172 is a high-severity vulnerability. It was published on May 22, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.1 (HIGH).
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.1, rated HIGH. It can be exploited remotely over the network. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.
Technical Description
authentik is an open-source identity provider. In versions prior to 2025.12.5 and 2026.2.0-rc1 through 2026.2.2, the PATCH /api/v3/core/users/{pk}/ API allows a caller with change_user on a target user to assign arbitrary groups through UserSerializer, including groups with is_superuser=True, without requiring enable_group_superuser, leading to privilege escalation. This bypasses the stricter permission model enforced in group-management paths and enables delegated user-management permissions to escalate target users to administrator-equivalent privilege. Users with permissions to update groups or permissions to update users are able to add themselves or other users they have permissions on to users which have superuser permissions. This issue has been fixed in versions 22025.12.5 and 2026.2.3.
Remediation
Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2026-40172?
CVE-2026-40172 is a high-severity vulnerability. It was published on May 22, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.1 (HIGH).
How severe is CVE-2026-40172?
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.1, rated HIGH. It can be exploited remotely over the network. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.
How do I fix or remediate CVE-2026-40172?
Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2026-40172?
CyberStrike's AI-powered security agents can automatically detect CVE-2026-40172 across your infrastructure using autonomous pentesting, DAST scanning, and HackBrowser. The platform continuously monitors for known vulnerabilities and provides actionable remediation guidance prioritized by real-world exploitability.
How CyberStrike Helps
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