CVE-2026-5430
CVE-2026-5430 is a security flaw in WSO2 products. Attackers can run their own code on WSO2 products. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 24 Sep 2026.[1]
WSO2 products is business software or equipment. Most families won’t have it, but attackers break into it to get inside companies, and from there to what those companies hold about their customers, patients and staff. Fixed in version 4.5.0.57, 4.6.0.21, 4.5.0.56 and 4.5.0.58 and others.
Description
CISA calls it a path traversal in WSO2 Multiple Products. In its words: “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.”[1]
The CVE record adds: “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.”[2]
The underlying weakness is CWE-347, in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.
It scores 10.0 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it critical, scored by the organisation that published the CVE using CVSS 3.1.[2]
Affected versions
NVD’s record lists these fixed versions: in each line, everything before the version shown is affected.[2]
| Product | Fixed in |
|---|---|
| WSO2 Universal Gateway | 4.5.0.57 |
| WSO2 Universal Gateway | 4.6.0.21 |
| WSO2 Traffic Manager | 4.5.0.56 |
| WSO2 Traffic Manager | 4.6.0.21 |
| WSO2 API Control Plane | 4.5.0.58 |
| WSO2 API Control Plane | 4.6.0.22 |
| WSO2 API Manager | 4.1.0.257 |
| WSO2 API Manager | 4.2.0.197 |
Most families won’t have WSO2 products; it’s for whoever looks after IT at work.
Exploitation
CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 24 Sep 2026, 49 days after it was made public. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 27 Sep 2026 to fix it.[1]
FIRST’s Exploit Prediction Scoring System, which estimates how likely a flaw is to be used in attacks in the next 30 days from what it sees across the internet, puts it at 22%. That’s in the top 3% of the flaws it scores.[4]
CISA assesses it as automatable: attackers can run it against many targets at once.
CISA doesn’t say who was attacked, or how.
Fix
WSO2 has published a fix or advice.[3] CISA’s 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).”[1]
- Check whether you use it.WSO2 products is business software or equipment, so most families won’t have it. If you run a business, or work from home on company equipment, ask whoever looks after your IT.
- Send this page to your IT person.Ask them to confirm it’s fixed (fixed in version 4.5.0.57, 4.6.0.21, 4.5.0.56 and 4.5.0.58 and others), or not in use. CISA gave US government agencies until 27 Sep 2026 to fix it.
- If it can’t be fixed, take it offline.CISA’s advice when there’s no fix is to stop using the product, or take it off the internet, until there is one.
You can’t fix someone else’s server, but you can watch for what follows a break-in like this: a breach notice, a password reset you didn’t ask for, or a scam message that knows things it shouldn’t. HARD watches for those for you and your family.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 10.0.[2] | |
| CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks.[1] | |
| CISA’s deadline for US government agencies to fix it.[1] | |
| FIRST puts the odds of it being used in attacks in the next 30 days at 22%.[4] |
See also
Other WSO2 products flaws
- CVE-2022-29464: unrestrictive upload of file ·
Similar flaws
- CVE-2026-48558, SimpleHelp: authentication bypass ·
- CVE-2025-59718, Fortinet products: improper verification of cryptographic signature ·
- CVE-2020-2021, Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS: authentication bypass ·
- CVE-2022-20703, Cisco Small Business RV160, RV260, RV340, and RV345 Series Routers: small business RV series routers stack-based buffer overflow ·
- CVE-2020-1464, Microsoft Windows: spoofing ·
Added the same day
- CVE-2026-71362, Adobe Commerce and Magento: incorrect authorization ·
References
- ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “WSO2 Multiple Products Path Traversal Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 24 Sep 2026.
- ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2026-5430 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 6 Aug 2026.
- ^ WSO2. Advisories and fixes: security.docs.wso2.com.
- ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.224, percentile 97.7, 31 Oct 2026.
- CVE Program. “CVE-2026-5430”. The official CVE record.
This article is built from CISA’s catalog (version 2026.10.30), NVD’s record and FIRST’s scores, kept in HARD’s database and checked every morning. The plain English is HARD’s.