CVE-2026-73644
Received Received - Intake

OpenDJ SASL PLAIN Authorization Identity Privilege Escalation

Publication date: 2026-08-13

Last updated on: 2026-08-13

Assigner: GitHub, Inc.

Description
OpenDJ is an LDAPv3 compliant directory service. Prior to 5.1.2, the SASL PLAIN authorization identity path in opendj-server-legacy/src/main/java/org/opends/server/extensions/PlainSASLMechanismHandler.java checked the PROXIED_AUTH privilege but did not evaluate the mayProxy proxy ACI scope when an authzid resolved to a different user. Both dn: and u: or bare authzid forms could therefore let an authenticated account holding PROXIED_AUTH assume any resolvable non-root identity outside the identities permitted by its proxy ACI. The fix returns INVALID_CREDENTIALS (49) before password verification when the target authorization identity is not permitted. This issue is fixed in version 5.1.2.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-08-13
Last Modified
2026-08-13
Generated
2026-08-13
AI Q&A
2026-08-13
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-73644
EUVD
EUVD-2026-58186

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 2 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
opendj opendj to 5.1.2 (exc)
opendj opendj to 5.1.2 (inc)

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-285 The product does not perform or incorrectly performs an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action.
CWE-639 The system's authorization functionality does not prevent one user from gaining access to another user's data or record by modifying the key value identifying the data.

Attack-Flow Graph

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Executive Summary

This vulnerability in OpenDJ allows an authenticated user with the PROXIED_AUTH privilege to bypass proxy access control checks when assuming an alternate authorization identity. The SASL PLAIN mechanism did not properly validate the mayProxy ACI scope, enabling unauthorized impersonation of other identities outside permitted proxy restrictions.

Detection Guidance

To detect this vulnerability, check OpenDJ server versions prior to 5.1.2. Verify if users with PROXIED_AUTH privilege can impersonate other identities without proper proxy ACI checks. Review authentication logs for unusual SASL PLAIN authzid attempts or unauthorized identity switches.

Impact Analysis

An attacker could exploit this to impersonate other users, potentially gaining unauthorized access to sensitive data or performing actions as those users. This could lead to data breaches, privilege escalation, or unauthorized modifications in the directory service.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access to personal or sensitive data, violating GDPR's data protection principles and HIPAA's access control requirements. Non-compliance risks include legal penalties, reputational damage, and loss of trust.

Mitigation Strategies

Upgrade OpenDJ to version 5.1.2 or later immediately. As a temporary workaround, revoke the PROXIED_AUTH privilege from users until the upgrade is completed. Monitor for unauthorized impersonation attempts in logs.

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