Security Digest · Vulnerability record · Known exploited
CVE-2026-5430: WSO2 Multiple Products Path Traversal Vulnerability
Exploited in the wild (CISA KEV). The JWT authentication mechanism accepts tokens signed with algorithms other than those explicitly configured or supported.
CISA KEV · added 2026-09-24 CVSS 10.0 Critical EPSS 0.6% · p47 Act now
Should you act?
Exploited: patch now if you run it
CISA has confirmed exploitation in the wild. This signal is computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS data; it is not an editorial verdict.
- Yes, if you run WSO2 Multiple Products. CISA added this CVE to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2026-09-24, which means there is reliable evidence of exploitation in the wild. US federal agencies must remediate by 2026-09-27; treat that as the outer limit, not the target.
- EPSS 0.6%, percentile 47: FIRST’s model estimates a 0.6% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 47% of all scored CVEs (low). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
- Remotely reachable with no login and no user interaction. If the vulnerable service is exposed to the internet, prioritize it.
- Editorial verdict: Act now. WSO2 API Manager CVE-2026-5430: Exploited JWT Auth Bypass — Any self-managed WSO2 API Manager 4.1-4.6, API Control Plane, Traffic Manager or Universal Gateway below the fixed update level should be patched now and checked for forged-token use; attackers have been sending forged admin JWTs since mid-September.
What it is
The JWT authentication mechanism accepts tokens signed with algorithms other than those explicitly configured or supported. This allows an attacker to craft a JWT with an unsupported algorithm, which is then incorrectly validated, leading to unauthorized access. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability may result in unauthorized access to the system, including the potential compromise of administrative accounts and full account takeover. The CVSS score is adjusted to 9.8 (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) in single-tenant deployments, reflecting that the impact is contained within a single security authority boundary.
CISA’s summary
WSO2 API Control Plane, API Manager, Traffic Manager & Universal Gateway contain a path traversal vulnerability that could allow for unrestricted file upload and lead to remote code execution.
Weakness type: CWE-347.
Product: WSO2 Multiple Products · Assigned by: WSO2 · Published: 2026-08-06
Affected and fixed versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions (per CVE record) |
|---|---|---|
| WSO2 | WSO2 Universal Gateway | 4.5.0 < 4.5.0.57, 4.6.0 < 4.6.0.21 |
| WSO2 | WSO2 Traffic Manager | 4.5.0 < 4.5.0.56, 4.6.0 < 4.6.0.21 |
| WSO2 | WSO2 API Control Plane | 4.5.0 < 4.5.0.58, 4.6.0 < 4.6.0.22 |
| WSO2 | WSO2 API Manager | 4.1.0 < 4.1.0.257, 4.2.0 < 4.2.0.197, 4.3.0 < 4.3.0.108, 4.4.0 < 4.4.0.72, 4.5.0 < 4.5.0.57, 4.6.0 < 4.6.0.21 |
| WSO2 | WSO2 Carbon API Manager Rest API Utility | 9.20.74 < 9.20.74.401, 9.28.116 < 9.28.116.417, 9.29.120 < 9.29.120.236, 9.30.67 < 9.30.67.167, 9.31.86 < 9.31.86.158, 9.32.147 < 9.32.147.59 |
Severity scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| WSO2 | 3.1 | 10 Critical | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H |
- Attack vector: network (remotely reachable)
- Attack complexity: low
- Privileges required: none (no login)
- User interaction: none
- Scope: changed (can affect other components)
CVSS measures how bad a flaw is if exploited, not how likely exploitation is. Read it next to the exploitation data below.
Exploitation and urgency
- CISA KEV: added 2026-09-24; federal due date 2026-09-27. Known ransomware use: Unknown.
- CISA required action: Apply mitigations in accordance with vendor instructions, ensuring compliance with CISA’s BOD 26-04 Prioritizing Security Updates Based on Risk (see URL in Notes) guidance and CISA’s “Forensics Triage Requirements” (see URL in Notes). Follow applicable BOD 26-04 guidance for cloud services or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. Stakeholders are responsible for evaluating each asset's internet exposure and ensuring adherence to BOD 26-04 patching guidelines.
- CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation active, automatable yes, technical impact total.
- FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 0.59% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 47.
Timeline
- — erroneo.us brief: WSO2 API Manager CVE-2026-5430: Exploited JWT Auth Bypass
- — CVE record published by WSO2
- — Added to CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog
- — CVE record last updated
- — CISA remediation deadline for US federal agencies
Sources and references
Original sources first. Version and fix details should always be confirmed against the vendor or project advisory.
Vendor and project advisories, patches
- security.docs.wso2.com security.docs.wso2.com
Vulnerability records
- CVE.org record CVE-2026-5430 cve.org
- NVD entry CVE-2026-5430 nvd.nist.gov
Government
All exploited WSO2 vulnerabilities · Today’s Security Digest