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ApisixApplication · Apache

CVE-2026-49231

MEDIUM · 5.4 CVSS v3.1 Published 2026-06-19
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 3.17.0 or later.
See remediation →
60/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
Remotely reachable Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
Authentication Bypass by Spoofing vulnerability in opa plugin. An attacker could relay spoofed identity headers to upstream capitalising on non-default configuration in opa plugin. This could allow the attacker to assume higher privileges on the upstream service. This issue affects Apache APISIX: from 3.5.0 through 3.16.0. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 3.17.0, which fixes the issue.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · moderate confidence

The OPA (Open Policy Agent) plugin in Apache APISIX versions 3.5.0-3.16.0 fails to properly validate identity headers when configured with non-default settings. An attacker can craft and relay spoofed identity headers to upstream services, bypassing authentication and assuming elevated privileges.

MitigationUpgrade Apache APISIX to version 3.17.0 or later. Review OPA plugin configurations to ensure identity header handling follows secure defaults.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
ApisixApplication
Affected:>= 3.5.0, < 3.17.0

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
Low
Availability
None

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify Apache APISIX installation and version
    Locate the APISIX installation and run the version check command (such as 'apisix version' or check the version in your package manager). Compare the installed version against the affected range 3.5.0 to < 3.17.0.
    Affected if The installed version falls within 3.5.0 through 3.16.0 inclusive.
  2. Verify OPA plugin is loaded
    Check the APISIX configuration files (typically in config.yaml or enabled_plugins list) for the OPA plugin entry. You may also query the APISIX admin API /apisix/admin/plugins endpoint if accessible.
    Affected if The OPA plugin appears in the enabled plugins list or configuration.
  3. Inspect OPA plugin configuration
    Review the OPA plugin configuration file or route-level configuration where OPA is defined. Look for any settings related to identity headers, such as headers, header forwarding, or identity validation parameters.
    Affected if The OPA plugin is configured with any identity header-related settings present in the configuration.
  4. Check for non-default configuration values
    Examine the OPA plugin settings for values that deviate from secure defaults. Specifically look for settings that control how identity headers from incoming requests are handled, validated, or forwarded to upstream services.
    Affected if The OPA plugin configuration contains non-default values for identity header handling or validation settings.

You are affected if Apache APISIX version is between 3.5.0 and 3.16.0, the OPA plugin is enabled, and it is configured with non-default identity header settings.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 3.17.0 or later
Fixed in 3.17.0
Interim mitigation

Upgrade Apache APISIX to version 3.17.0 or later. Review OPA plugin configurations to ensure identity header handling follows secure defaults.

Recommended fix High confidence

3.17.0

  1. Back up current Apache APISIX configuration files, including the apisix.yaml route definitions and any custom plugin configurations
  2. Stop the Apache APISIX service to prevent requests during upgrade
  3. Upgrade Apache APISIX to version 3.17.0 using your package manager or by downloading from the official Apache APISIX release (https://apisix.apache.org/downloads/)
  4. After upgrading, verify the opa plugin configuration - review any identity header handling to ensure it aligns with secure defaults
  5. Start the Apache APISIX service
  6. Test that the opa plugin functions correctly with the upgraded version and that authentication is properly enforced
Caveat Review the Apache APISIX 3.17.0 release notes for any breaking changes between your current version and 3.17.0, particularly regarding plugin behavior changes

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Apisix Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation2.0 h
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA3.0 h
13.0 hours of engineering $2,200
Get the upgrade done

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2026-49231 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data