Role Permission Bypass in Keycloak Services

Executive Summary

This vulnerability is a missing authorization filter flaw in Keycloak's role-users REST API endpoint. It allows a restricted administrator with certain privileges to view private user information like names and email addresses of users they should not have access to. The issue occurs because the system checks if the administrator can view the role but fails to filter which users they can see.

Useful 0 Not Useful 0

Detection Guidance

To detect this vulnerability, check Keycloak logs for suspicious requests to the /admin/realms/{realm}/roles/{role-name}/users endpoint by non-admin users. Monitor for unauthorized enumeration of user PII such as usernames, emails, or full names. Use network traffic analysis to identify repeated or unusual queries to this endpoint.

Useful 0 Not Useful 0

Impact Analysis

If you are a Keycloak user, this vulnerability could allow unauthorized individuals with limited admin rights to access and enumerate personally identifiable information of other users. This includes names, email addresses, and usernames, potentially leading to privacy breaches or further attacks.

Useful 0 Not Useful 0

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to non-compliance with GDPR and HIPAA by exposing personally identifiable information without proper authorization. GDPR requires strict access controls for personal data, while HIPAA mandates safeguards for protected health information. The flaw undermines these requirements.

Useful 0 Not Useful 0

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the latest Keycloak patch or update to fix the missing authorization filter. Temporarily restrict access to the role-users endpoint by modifying firewall rules or API gateways to limit exposure. Review and audit all role-user membership queries in logs to identify potential exploitation attempts.

Useful 0 Not Useful 0