CVE-2026-9796: Keycloak: keycloak: privilege escalation via time-of-check to time-of-use (toctou) vulnerability

Published May 28, 2026
·
Updated

A flaw was found in Keycloak. An authenticated administrator with the `manage-clients` role can exploit a Time-of-check to time-of-use (TOCTOU) vulnerability in the name-based admin role checks. This allows the attacker to escalate their privileges to `realm-admin` for all users within the realm, granting them extensive control over the system. The composite role relationship persists even after the attacker's own permissions are revoked and across system reboots.

Affected Software

2 affected components
Keycloak Keycloak
redhat Build Of Keycloak

Event History

May 28, 2026
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·03:33 AM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
CVE Published
via MITRE·04:27 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·04:27 AM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness
Data Sourced
via NVD·05:16 AM
DescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software
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Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2026-9796?

CVE-2026-9796 has a medium severity rating of 6.5.

2

How does CVE-2026-9796 exploit the system?

CVE-2026-9796 allows an authenticated administrator with the `manage-clients` role to escalate privileges via a time-of-check to time-of-use (TOCTOU) vulnerability.

3

What impact does CVE-2026-9796 have on users?

CVE-2026-9796 enables an attacker to escalate their privileges to `realm-admin` for all users within the realm.

4

Who is affected by CVE-2026-9796?

CVE-2026-9796 affects users of Keycloak, specifically administrators with the `manage-clients` role.

5

How do I fix CVE-2026-9796?

To fix CVE-2026-9796, ensure you update to the latest version of Keycloak that addresses this privilege escalation vulnerability.

Contact

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CVE-2026-9796 - Keycloak: keycloak: privilege escalation via time-of-check to time-of-use (toctou) vulnerability - SecAlerts