Critical Apache Syncope CVEs Let Attackers Execute Code, Bypass Controls

Key Takeaways

• Apache Syncope has disclosed three critical vulnerabilities, including SQL injection and code execution flaws.
• The vulnerabilities impact multiple versions across Apache Syncope 3.0, 4.0, and 4.1 series.
• Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized code execution, data manipulation, and privilege escalation.
• Patches are available in versions 4.0.8 and 4.1.3; immediate upgrade is strongly recommended.

Apache Syncope, an open-source platform for identity management and access governance, has announced three significant security vulnerabilities. These flaws could enable authorized administrators to execute arbitrary SQL commands, bypass Groovy sandbox protections, and impersonate higher-privileged users. The affected releases span Apache Syncope 3.0, 4.0, and 4.1, with fixes now available in versions 4.0.8 and 4.1.3.

Given Syncope’s role in managing sensitive identity data and controlling access across enterprise applications, successful exploitation of these vulnerabilities poses substantial security risks for organizations utilizing the platform.

Apache Syncope Vulnerabilities Detailed

SQL Injection in Task Search (CVE-2026-82232)

The first vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2026-82232, is an SQL injection flaw found within the Task search feature. The issue arises because Apache Syncope fails to adequately sanitize specific SQL elements submitted via the ‘sort’ parameter. A privileged administrator could exploit this by injecting malicious input into an unsanitized sort clause.

This vulnerability supports stacked queries, meaning an attacker could append and execute additional SQL commands beyond the intended query. Depending on the database account permissions granted to Syncope, successful exploitation could lead to the exposure, alteration, or deletion of sensitive database information. Attackers might also leverage this flaw to manipulate task-related records, extract identity data, or modify configuration values stored in the backend database.

CVE-2026-82232 affects the syncope-core-persistence-jpa component in Apache Syncope versions 3.0.0-M0 through 3.0.16, 4.0.0-M0 through 4.0.7, and 4.1.0-M0 through 4.1.2. Security researcher Alon Galili is credited with reporting this vulnerability.

Groovy Sandbox Bypass (CVE-2026-77147)

The second vulnerability, CVE-2026-77147, is a code injection issue related to the Groovy security sandbox. This flaw impacts the syncope-core-spring component and could allow a privileged administrator to circumvent protections designed to restrict unsafe Groovy code execution.

According to the advisory, an administrator with “Implementations” entitlements can craft a malicious Groovy Command class. This class could contain untrusted code within its static CommandArgs implementation. When CommandArgs is empty, the attacker can escape the Groovy sandbox, executing code outside the predefined security boundaries. This could result in malicious code running in the context of the Apache Syncope application, potentially granting an attacker access to application data, backend services, credentials, or connected identity systems. Researcher n0mi1k discovered and reported this issue.

JWT Access Token Takeover (CVE-2026-73178)

A third flaw, CVE-2026-73178, facilitates JWT access-token takeover. An administrator with sufficient entitlements can use the REST interface to retrieve existing access tokens, including their signed JWT bodies. These tokens can then be reused to make REST requests, impersonating users with higher administrative permissions. This JWT issue affects the syncope-core-provisioning-java component across the same vulnerable release ranges and was also reported by researcher n0mi1k.

What You Should Do

• Immediately upgrade all Apache Syncope deployments to version 4.0.8 or 4.1.3 to apply the necessary patches.
• Review and audit all privileged accounts for any suspicious activity or unauthorized changes.
• Rotate any potentially exposed JWT tokens and other credentials.
• Monitor recent REST API activity for unusual patterns or access requests.
• Scrutinize database logs for suspicious Task search requests or any unexpected SQL behavior that might indicate an attempted or successful exploit.

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