CVE-2020-27178 — cas-server-webapp
HIGHCVE-2020-27178 is a high-severity (CVSS 7.5) vulnerability in org.apereo.cas:cas-server-webapp. A fix is available for org.apereo.cas:cas-server-webapp — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Improper Authentication in Apereo CAS
EPSS Exploitation Probability
Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.
How urgent is this, really
CVE-2020-27178 by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). Outside the shaded patch-first corner.
Where this sits among everything scored
Of 385,738 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the < 10% band (highlighted). Counts from FIRST.org, log-scaled.
Real-World Exposure
org.apereo.cas:cas-server-webapp☕org.apereo.cas:cas-server-webapp☕org.apereo.cas:cas-server-webapp☕org.apereo.cas:cas-server-support-otp-mfa-core☕org.apereo.cas:cas-server-support-otp-mfa-core☕org.apereo.cas:cas-server-support-otp-mfa-coreReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Maven packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
Apereo CAS 5.3.x before 5.3.16, 6.x before 6.1.7.2, 6.2.x before 6.2.4, and 6.3.x before 6.3.0-RC4 mishandles secret keys with Google Authenticator for multifactor authentication.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.apereo.cas:cas-server-webapp | ≥ 5.3.0&&< 5.3.16 | 5.3.16org.apereo.cas:cas-server-webapp:5.3.16 |
| ☕Maven | org.apereo.cas:cas-server-webapp | ≥ 6.0.0&&< 6.1.7.2 | 6.1.7.2org.apereo.cas:cas-server-webapp:6.1.7.2 |
| ☕Maven | org.apereo.cas:cas-server-webapp | ≥ 6.2.0&&< 6.2.4 | 6.2.4org.apereo.cas:cas-server-webapp:6.2.4 |
| ☕Maven | org.apereo.cas:cas-server-support-otp-mfa-core | ≥ 5.3.0&&< 5.3.16 | 5.3.16org.apereo.cas:cas-server-support-otp-mfa-core:5.3.16 |
| ☕Maven | org.apereo.cas:cas-server-support-otp-mfa-core | ≥ 6.0.0&&< 6.1.7.2 | 6.1.7.2org.apereo.cas:cas-server-support-otp-mfa-core:6.1.7.2 |
| ☕Maven | org.apereo.cas:cas-server-support-otp-mfa-core | ≥ 6.2.0&&< 6.2.4 | 6.2.4org.apereo.cas:cas-server-support-otp-mfa-core:6.2.4 |
Affected Products
central authentication serviceapereoDetection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.apereo.cas:cas-server-webapp, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update org.apereo.cas:cas-server-webapp to 5.3.16 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2020-27178 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-2020-27178 in your dependencies?
Find it across Maven, including transitive dependencies.