How severe is CVE-2021-20278?

CVE-2021-20278 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is low, integrity low, and availability none.

Is CVE-2021-20278 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (51st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-20278?

CVE-2021-20278 affects Kiali. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-20278?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2021-20278 published?

CVE-2021-20278 was published on 2021-05-28 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-20278

CVE-2021-20278 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Kiali with a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-287.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 6.5)
CVSS v2: 5.8
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (51st percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-287
Affected product: Kiali
Published: 2021-05-28
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

An authentication bypass vulnerability was found in Kiali in versions before 1.31.0 when the authentication strategy `OpenID` is used. When RBAC is enabled, Kiali assumes that some of the token validation is handled by the underlying cluster. When OpenID `implicit flow` is used with RBAC turned off, this token validation doesn't occur, and this allows a malicious user to bypass the authentication.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-20278?: An authentication bypass vulnerability was found in Kiali in versions before 1.31.0 when the authentication strategy `OpenID` is used. When RBAC is enabled, Kiali assumes that some of the token validation is handled by the underlying cluster. When OpenID `implicit flow` is used with RBAC turned off, this token validation doesn't occur, and this allows a malicious user to bypass the authentication.
How severe is CVE-2021-20278?: CVE-2021-20278 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is low, integrity low, and availability none.
Is CVE-2021-20278 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (51st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-20278?: CVE-2021-20278 affects Kiali. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-20278?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2021-20278 published?: CVE-2021-20278 was published on 2021-05-28 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:kiali:kiali:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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