---
title: "CVE-2020-37281: Gravitee API Management - Authentication Bypass"
description: "Gravitee API Management through 4.12.22 contains an authentication bypass caused by forged JWTs signed with the default jwt.secret, letting unauthenticated remote attackers impersonate any user, exploit requires knowledge of a valid user ID."
url: https://panop.io/threat-heartbeat/CVE-2020-37281/
---

# CVE-2020-37281 Gravitee API Management - Authentication Bypass

Gravitee API Management through 4.12.22 contains an authentication bypass caused by forged JWTs signed with the default jwt.secret, letting unauthenticated remote attackers impersonate any user, exploit requires knowledge of a valid user ID.

CVSS base score 8.1 /10

High

CISA KEV

Not listed

Public exploit

None known

Authentication

Not required

EPSS

0.88% chance of exploitation in 30 days

[View the NVD record ↗](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-37281)

## Details

Type

Authentication Bypass

Impact

Broken Authentication

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Published

14 October 2026

Updated

15 October 2026

Weakness

[CWE-1394](https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/1394.html)

## Vendor fix

Update to a version later than 4.12.22 or apply patches that change the default jwt.secret.

Patching closes this CVE. It does not tell you which of your systems run the affected version, or what else is exposed alongside them.

## References

- [https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-37281](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-37281)
- [https://github.com/gravitee-io/gravitee-api-management/blob/4.12.22/gravitee-apim-rest-api/gravitee-apim-rest-api-management/gravitee-apim-rest-api-management-security/src/main/java/io/gravitee/rest/api/management/security/config/BasicSecurityConfigurerAdapter.java#L157-L175](https://github.com/gravitee-io/gravitee-api-management/blob/4.12.22/gravitee-apim-rest-api/gravitee-apim-rest-api-management/gravitee-apim-rest-api-management-security/src/main/java/io/gravitee/rest/api/management/security/config/BasicSecurityConfigurerAdapter.java#L157-L175)
- [https://github.com/gravitee-io/gravitee-api-management/blob/4.12.22/gravitee-apim-rest-api/gravitee-apim-rest-api-standalone/gravitee-apim-rest-api-standalone-distribution/src/main/resources/config/gravitee.yml#L636-L637](https://github.com/gravitee-io/gravitee-api-management/blob/4.12.22/gravitee-apim-rest-api/gravitee-apim-rest-api-standalone/gravitee-apim-rest-api-standalone-distribution/src/main/resources/config/gravitee.yml#L636-L637)
- [https://github.com/gravitee-io/gravitee-api-management/blob/4.12.22/helm/values.yaml#L103](https://github.com/gravitee-io/gravitee-api-management/blob/4.12.22/helm/values.yaml#L103)
- [https://github.com/gravitee-io/gravitee-docs/blob/master/pages/apim/3.x/how-tos/how-to-general-configuration.adoc](https://github.com/gravitee-io/gravitee-docs/blob/master/pages/apim/3.x/how-tos/how-to-general-configuration.adoc)
- [https://github.com/gravitee-io/issues/issues/4204](https://github.com/gravitee-io/issues/issues/4204)
- [https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/gravitee-api-management-through-4.12.22-default-jwt-secret-authentication-bypass](https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/gravitee-api-management-through-4.12.22-default-jwt-secret-authentication-bypass)

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## What this record can't tell you

- Whether you run the affected software, and where
- Whether an attacker can actually reach and exploit it
- The misconfigurations that never get a CVE number
- What it would cost the business, ranked into what to fix first

Panop answers these inside your environment, for this CVE and every other finding.

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