Keycloak Admin Privilege Escalation via JWKS Manipulation (CVE-2026-9797)
CVE-2026-9797 Published on November 6, 2026
Keycloak: keycloak: privilege escalation via client authentication manipulation by an authenticated administrator
A flaw was found in Keycloak's administrative services (org.keycloak.services.resources.admin). A highly privileged attacker, authenticated with a 'manage-clients' role, could exploit this vulnerability through several methods, including manipulating client JSON Web Key Sets (JWKS), swapping client authenticator types and resetting secrets, or downloading legitimate signing keys. Successful exploitation allows the attacker to obtain a token with 'realm-admin' role assignments, leading to privilege escalation and potential unauthorized access to sensitive resources.
Vulnerability Analysis
CVE-2026-9797 can be exploited with network access, and requires user privileges. This vulnerability is considered to have a low attack complexity. The potential impact of an exploit of this vulnerability is considered to have a high impact on confidentiality and integrity, and no impact on availability.
Timeline
Reported to Red Hat.
Made public.
Weakness Type
Incorrect Privilege Assignment
A product incorrectly assigns a privilege to a particular actor, creating an unintended sphere of control for that actor.
Products Associated with CVE-2026-9797
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