CVE-2026-27960

OpenCTI privilege escalation and unauthenticated access via default admin account

Published May 5, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 9.8 Critical EPSS 7.1% KEV · Not listed

Description

OpenCTI is an open source platform for managing cyber threat intelligence knowledge and observables. In versions 6.6.0 through 6.9.12, there is a privilege escalation vulnerability that can be exploited by unauthenticated attackers to query the API as any existing user, including the default admin account. This issue has been fixed in version 6.9.13. As a workaround, the default admin can be disabled using the `APP__ADMIN__EXTERNALLY_MANAGED` configuration.

Analysis

Technical impact

In OpenCTI platform versions 6.6.0 through 6.9.12, an unauthenticated attacker can exploit a privilege escalation flaw to query the API as any existing user, including the default admin account. This vulnerability exposes the full set of authorizations granted to the default admin, allowing the attacker to read, modify, or delete threat intelligence data stored in the system. The weakness is a classic authentication bypass flaw (CWE-287).

Affected Systems

OpenCTI-Platform opencti, specifically versions 6.6.0 to 6.9.12. The issue has been addressed in version 6.9.13 and later.

Risk and Exploitability

The CVSS score of 9.8 indicates a critical severity. An EPSS score of 7% indicates a low but nonzero probability of exploitation. The vulnerability is not listed in CISA KEV. Attackers can exploit the flaw by sending unauthenticated API requests, implying a high likelihood of remote exploitation with no additional credentials required.

Affected Products

Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).

Vendor Product Default status Versions

OpenCTI-Platform

opencti

affected

Version	Status	Constraints
`>= 6.6.0, < 6.9.13`	affected	—

Configuration 1 [-]

cpe:2.3:a:citeum:opencti:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

No data.

Vendor Product Versions

Opencti-platform

Opencti

Version	Status	Scheme	Platform
`[6.6.0,6.9.13)`	affected	semver	—

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record.

OpenCVE Recommended Actions

Upgrade OpenCTI to version 6.9.13 or later to apply the vendor patch.
If an upgrade cannot be performed immediately, set the configuration APP__ADMIN__EXTERNALLY_MANAGED to true to disable the default admin account.
Review API access controls and remove any other default or unnecessary user accounts to reduce attack surface.

Generated by OpenCVE AI on October 25, 2026 at 17:36 UTC.

Tracking

Advisories

No advisories available

Metrics

No CVSS v4.0

Attack Vector Network

Attack Complexity Low

Privileges Required None

Scope Unchanged

Confidentiality Impact High

Integrity Impact High

Availability Impact High

User Interaction None

No CVSS v3.0

No CVSS v2

This CVE is not in the KEV list.

Exploit prediction score: 7.1% (7.086% probability within 30 days)

Exploitation none

Automatable yes

Technical Impact total

References

Link	Providers
https://github.com/OpenCTI-Platform/opencti/security/advisories/GHSA-6vvv-vmfr-xhrx

History

May 12, 2026 2:00 PM First appearance in the feed. Affected versions updated. Affected vendors updated View changes

Type	Values Removed	Values Added
First Time appeared		Citeum Citeum opencti
CPEs		cpe:2.3:a:citeum:opencti::::::::
Vendors & Products		Citeum Citeum opencti

May 6, 2026 4:15 PM Scoring metrics updated View changes

Type	Values Removed	Values Added
Metrics		ssvc `{'options': {'Automatable': 'yes', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}`

May 5, 2026 8:45 PM First appearance in the feed. Affected vendors updated View changes

Type	Values Removed	Values Added
First Time appeared		Opencti-platform Opencti-platform opencti
Vendors & Products		Opencti-platform Opencti-platform opencti

May 5, 2026 7:00 PM Description updated. Title updated. Weaknesses updated. Added references. Scoring metrics updated View changes

Type	Values Removed	Values Added
Description		OpenCTI is an open source platform for managing cyber threat intelligence knowledge and observables. In versions 6.6.0 through 6.9.12, there is a privilege escalation vulnerability that can be exploited by unauthenticated attackers to query the API as any existing user, including the default admin account. This issue has been fixed in version 6.9.13. As a workaround, the default admin can be disabled using the `APP__ADMIN__EXTERNALLY_MANAGED` configuration.
Title		OpenCTI privilege escalation and unauthenticated access via default admin account
Weaknesses		CWE-287
References		https://github.com/OpenCTI-Platform/opencti/security/advisories/GHSA-6vvv-vmfr-xhrx
Metrics		cvssV3_1 `{'score': 9.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}`