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Session is cached for OpenID and OAuth2 if `redirect` is not used

High severity GitHub Reviewed Published Sep 10, 2024 in directus/directus • Updated Nov 17, 2025

Package

npm @directus/api (npm)

Affected versions

< 21.0.1
>= 22.0.0, < 22.2.0

Patched versions

21.0.1
22.2.0
npm directus (npm)
< 10.13.3
>= 11.0.0-rc.1, < 11.1.0
10.13.3
11.1.0

Description

Summary

Unauthenticated user can access credentials of last authenticated user via OpenID or OAuth2 where the authentication URL did not include redirect query string.

For example:

  • Project is configured with OpenID or OAuth2
  • Project is configured with cache enabled
  • User tries to login via SSO link, but without redirect query string
  • After successful login, credentials are cached
  • If an unauthenticated user tries to login via SSO link, it will return the credentials of the other last user

The SSO link is something like https://directus.example.com/auth/login/openid/callback, where openid is the name of the OpenID provider configured in Directus

Details

This happens because on that endpoint for both OpenId and Oauth2 Directus is using the respond middleware, which by default will try to cache GET requests that met some conditions. Although, those conditions do not include this scenario, when an unauthenticated request returns user credentials.
For OpenID, this can be seen here:
https://github.com/directus/directus/blob/main/api/src/auth/drivers/openid.ts#L453-L459
And for OAuth2 can be seen here
https://github.com/directus/directus/blob/main/api/src/auth/drivers/oauth2.ts#L422-L428

PoC

  • Create a new Directus project
  • Set CACHE_ENABLED to true
  • Set CACHE_STORE to redis for reliable results (if using memory with multiple nodes, it may only happen sometimes, due to cache being different for different nodes)
  • Configure REDIS with redis string or redis host, port, user, etc.
  • Set AUTH_PROVIDERS to openid
  • Set PUBLIC_URL to the the main URL of your project . For example, PUBLIC_URL: http://localhost:8055
  • Configure AUTH_OPENID_CLIENT_ID, AUTH_OPENID_CLIENT_SECRET, AUTH_OPENID_ISSUER_URL with proper OpenID configurations
  • Be sure that on OpenID external app you have configured Redirect URI to http://localhost:8055/auth/login/openid/callback
  • Run Directus
  • Open the SSO link like http://localhost:8055/auth/login/openid/callback
  • Do the authentication on the OpenID external webpage
  • Verify that it you got redirected to a page with a JSON including access_token property
  • Be sure all anonymous mode windows are closed
  • Open an anonymous window and go to the SSO Link http://localhost:8055/auth/login/openid/callback and see you have the same credentials, even though you don't have any session because you are in anonymous mode

Impact

All projects using OpenID or OAuth 2, that does not include redirect query string on loggin in users.

References

@br41nslug br41nslug published to directus/directus Sep 10, 2024
Published by the National Vulnerability Database Sep 10, 2024
Published to the GitHub Advisory Database Sep 10, 2024
Reviewed Sep 10, 2024
Last updated Nov 17, 2025

Severity

High

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v4 base metrics

Exploitability Metrics
Attack Vector Network
Attack Complexity Low
Attack Requirements None
Privileges Required None
User interaction Passive
Vulnerable System Impact Metrics
Confidentiality High
Integrity None
Availability None
Subsequent System Impact Metrics
Confidentiality High
Integrity None
Availability None

CVSS v4 base metrics

Exploitability Metrics
Attack Vector: This metric reflects the context by which vulnerability exploitation is possible. This metric value (and consequently the resulting severity) will be larger the more remote (logically, and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerable system. The assumption is that the number of potential attackers for a vulnerability that could be exploited from across a network is larger than the number of potential attackers that could exploit a vulnerability requiring physical access to a device, and therefore warrants a greater severity.
Attack Complexity: This metric captures measurable actions that must be taken by the attacker to actively evade or circumvent existing built-in security-enhancing conditions in order to obtain a working exploit. These are conditions whose primary purpose is to increase security and/or increase exploit engineering complexity. A vulnerability exploitable without a target-specific variable has a lower complexity than a vulnerability that would require non-trivial customization. This metric is meant to capture security mechanisms utilized by the vulnerable system.
Attack Requirements: This metric captures the prerequisite deployment and execution conditions or variables of the vulnerable system that enable the attack. These differ from security-enhancing techniques/technologies (ref Attack Complexity) as the primary purpose of these conditions is not to explicitly mitigate attacks, but rather, emerge naturally as a consequence of the deployment and execution of the vulnerable system.
Privileges Required: This metric describes the level of privileges an attacker must possess prior to successfully exploiting the vulnerability. The method by which the attacker obtains privileged credentials prior to the attack (e.g., free trial accounts), is outside the scope of this metric. Generally, self-service provisioned accounts do not constitute a privilege requirement if the attacker can grant themselves privileges as part of the attack.
User interaction: This metric captures the requirement for a human user, other than the attacker, to participate in the successful compromise of the vulnerable system. This metric determines whether the vulnerability can be exploited solely at the will of the attacker, or whether a separate user (or user-initiated process) must participate in some manner.
Vulnerable System Impact Metrics
Confidentiality: This metric measures the impact to the confidentiality of the information managed by the VULNERABLE SYSTEM due to a successfully exploited vulnerability. Confidentiality refers to limiting information access and disclosure to only authorized users, as well as preventing access by, or disclosure to, unauthorized ones.
Integrity: This metric measures the impact to integrity of a successfully exploited vulnerability. Integrity refers to the trustworthiness and veracity of information. Integrity of the VULNERABLE SYSTEM is impacted when an attacker makes unauthorized modification of system data. Integrity is also impacted when a system user can repudiate critical actions taken in the context of the system (e.g. due to insufficient logging).
Availability: This metric measures the impact to the availability of the VULNERABLE SYSTEM resulting from a successfully exploited vulnerability. While the Confidentiality and Integrity impact metrics apply to the loss of confidentiality or integrity of data (e.g., information, files) used by the system, this metric refers to the loss of availability of the impacted system itself, such as a networked service (e.g., web, database, email). Since availability refers to the accessibility of information resources, attacks that consume network bandwidth, processor cycles, or disk space all impact the availability of a system.
Subsequent System Impact Metrics
Confidentiality: This metric measures the impact to the confidentiality of the information managed by the SUBSEQUENT SYSTEM due to a successfully exploited vulnerability. Confidentiality refers to limiting information access and disclosure to only authorized users, as well as preventing access by, or disclosure to, unauthorized ones.
Integrity: This metric measures the impact to integrity of a successfully exploited vulnerability. Integrity refers to the trustworthiness and veracity of information. Integrity of the SUBSEQUENT SYSTEM is impacted when an attacker makes unauthorized modification of system data. Integrity is also impacted when a system user can repudiate critical actions taken in the context of the system (e.g. due to insufficient logging).
Availability: This metric measures the impact to the availability of the SUBSEQUENT SYSTEM resulting from a successfully exploited vulnerability. While the Confidentiality and Integrity impact metrics apply to the loss of confidentiality or integrity of data (e.g., information, files) used by the system, this metric refers to the loss of availability of the impacted system itself, such as a networked service (e.g., web, database, email). Since availability refers to the accessibility of information resources, attacks that consume network bandwidth, processor cycles, or disk space all impact the availability of a system.
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:H/SI:N/SA:N

EPSS score

Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS)

This score estimates the probability of this vulnerability being exploited within the next 30 days. Data provided by FIRST.
(67th percentile)

Weaknesses

Session Fixation

Authenticating a user, or otherwise establishing a new user session, without invalidating any existing session identifier gives an attacker the opportunity to steal authenticated sessions. Learn more on MITRE.

Use of Cache Containing Sensitive Information

The code uses a cache that contains sensitive information, but the cache can be read by an actor outside of the intended control sphere. Learn more on MITRE.

CVE ID

CVE-2024-45596

GHSA ID

GHSA-cff8-x7jv-4fm8

Source code

Credits

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