CVE-2017-16897 is a high-severity (CVSS 8.1) CWE-290 vulnerability in passport-wsfed-saml2. A fix is available for passport-wsfed-saml2 — see the affected versions and patch details below.
passport-wsfed-saml2 vulnerable to Signature Bypass in SAML2 token
EPSS Exploitation Probability
Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.
How urgent is this, really
Where this sits among everything scored
Real-World Exposure
How broadly this vulnerability is actually deployed: weekly install volume shows current usage, and reverse-dependency count shows how many other packages break if it stays unpatched.
passport-wsfed-saml2npmDescription
Information
Please note that this is not a new disclosure, and is previously reported in our SECURITY-NOTICE.md which we removed in favor of github advisory.
Overview
This vulnerability allows an attacker to impersonate another user and potentially elevate their privileges if the SAML identity provider:
-
signs SAML response and signs assertion
-
does not sign SAML response and signs assertion
Am I affected?
You may be affected if you use SAML2 protocol with passport-wsfed-saml2 versions below 3.0.5 and your SAML identity Provider:
- signs SAML response and signs assertion; or
- does not sign SAML response and signs assertion
How do I fix it?
You may fix this vulnerability by upgrading your library to version 3.0.5 or above.
Will the fix impact my users?
This fix patches the library that your application runs, but will not impact your users, their current state, or any existing sessions.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📦npm | passport-wsfed-saml2 | all versions | 3.0.5npm install passport-wsfed-saml2@3.0.5 |
Affected Products
passport-wsfed-saml2auth0Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for passport-wsfed-saml2, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update passport-wsfed-saml2 to 3.0.5 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2017-16897 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2017-16897 in your dependencies?
Find it across npm, including transitive dependencies.