CVE-2023-48703: go-saml Auth Bypass (CVSS 7.5)

Description

RobotsAndPencils go-saml, a SAML client library written in Go, contains an authentication bypass vulnerability in all known versions. This is due to how the `xmlsec1` command line tool is called internally to verify the signature of SAML assertions. When `xmlsec1` is used without defining the enabled key data, the origin of the public key for the signature verification is, unfortunately, not restricted. That means an attacker can sign the SAML assertions themselves and provide the required public key (e.g. an RSA key) directly embedded in the SAML token. Projects still using RobotsAndPencils/go-saml should move to another SAML library or alternatively remove support for SAML from their projects. The vulnerability can likely temporarily be fixed by forking the go-saml project and adding the command line argument `--enabled-key-data` and specifying a value such as `x509` or `raw-x509-cert` when calling the `xmlsec1` binary in the verify function. Please note that this workaround must be carefully tested before it can be used.

Is your site exposed to CVE-2023-48703?

Run a free security scan — no signup, results in seconds.

CVSS v3.1 Score

7.5

HIGH

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

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-287 Improper Authentication

Affected Products

Vendor	Product	Versions
robotsandpencils	go-saml	All

References

Other References

https://securitylab.github.com/advisories/GHSL-2023-121_go-saml__archived_/ https://securitylab.github.com/advisories/GHSL-2023-121_go-saml__archived_/

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2023-48703? +

RobotsAndPencils go-saml, a SAML client library written in Go, contains an authentication bypass vulnerability in all known versions. This is due to how the `xmlsec1` command line tool is called internally to verify the signature of SAML assertions. When `xmlsec1` is used without defining the enabled key data, the origin of the public key for the signature verification is, unfortunately, not restricted. That means an attacker can sign the SAML assertions themselves and provide the required public key (e.g. an RSA key) directly embedded in the SAML token. Projects still using RobotsAndPencils/go-saml should move to another SAML library or alternatively remove support for SAML from their projects. The vulnerability can likely temporarily be fixed by forking the go-saml project and adding the command line argument `--enabled-key-data` and specifying a value such as `x509` or `raw-x509-cert` when calling the `xmlsec1` binary in the verify function. Please note that this workaround must be carefully tested before it can be used. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (HIGH).

How severe is CVE-2023-48703? +

CVE-2023-48703 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.5 out of 10, rated HIGH. This is a high-severity vulnerability that should be prioritized for patching.

What products are affected by CVE-2023-48703? +

CVE-2023-48703 affects products from robotsandpencils, specifically: go-saml. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2023-48703? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

Related Vulnerabilities

CVE-2026-47202

Kavita is a cross platform reading server. Prior to 0.9.0.2, an Improper Token validation flaw permits a remote and unauthenticated …

CVE-2026-61740

LightRAG provides simple and fast retrieval-augmented generation. Prior to 1.5.4, when LightRAG is deployed with LIGHTRAG_API_KEY set but AUTH_ACCOUNTS unset, …

CVE-2026-47159

Vaultwarden is a Bitwarden-compatible server written in Rust. Prior to 1.36.0, Vaultwarden's SSO discovery and pre-validation flow returned organization-related SSO …

CVE-2026-44720

OpenLearnX is an open-source, decentralized learning and assessment platform. Prior to 2.0.4, a critical authentication vulnerability was identified in OpenLearnX …

CVE-2025-24032

PAM-PKCS#11 is a Linux-PAM login module that allows a X.509 certificate based user login. Prior to version 0.6.13, if cert_policy …

CVE-2024-5174

A flaw in Gliffy results in broken authentication through the reset functionality of the application.

CVE-2023-48703