---
title: "CVE-2026-88920: Apache WSS4J - Authentication Bypass"
description: "Apache WSS4J < 4.0.2, < 3.0.6, and < 2.4.4 contain an authentication bypass caused by crafted unsigned SAML sender-vouches assertion with attacker-controlled key in DOM security processor, letting unauthenticated remote attackers forge authenticated SOAP messages."
url: https://panop.io/threat-heartbeat/CVE-2026-88920/
---

# CVE-2026-88920 Apache WSS4J - Authentication Bypass

Apache WSS4J < 4.0.2, < 3.0.6, and < 2.4.4 contain an authentication bypass caused by crafted unsigned SAML sender-vouches assertion with attacker-controlled key in DOM security processor, letting unauthenticated remote attackers forge authenticated SOAP messages.

CVSS base score 9.8 /10

Critical

CISA KEV

Not listed

Public exploit

None known

Authentication

Not required

EPSS

0.57% chance of exploitation in 30 days

[View the NVD record ↗](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-88920)

## Details

Type

Authentication Bypass

Impact

Broken Authentication

CVSS vector

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

Published

30 September 2026

Updated

15 October 2026

Weakness

[CWE-287](https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/287.html)

## Vendor fix

Upgrade to versions 4.0.2, 3.0.6, or 2.4.4 or later.

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-2026-88920](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-88920)
- [http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/09/30/10](http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/09/30/10)
- [https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/grt43m3bgbzz0mk0cnho3rcybb1j01z9](https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/grt43m3bgbzz0mk0cnho3rcybb1j01z9)

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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

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