---
id: "CVE-2026-124679"
page: "https://infrastack.ai/live/CVE-2026-124679"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-124679"]
title: "Apache APISIX: spoofed headers let unauthenticated requests bypass gateway authentication"
severity: "high"
cvss: 7.8
epss: null
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "infrastructure"
products: []
ecosystems: []
tags: ["apache-apisix", "api-gateway", "infrastructure", "kubernetes", "self-hosted"]
not_affected_if: ["auth-required", "default-config", "outside-3.18-3.19"]
published_at: "2026-11-13T18:17:31+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-11-13T18:49:28+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-11-13T18:51:28+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-124679", "first_seen_at": "2026-11-13T18:49:28+00:00"}]
exploit_sources: []
---

# Apache APISIX: spoofed headers let unauthenticated requests bypass gateway authentication

Link for people: https://infrastack.ai/live/CVE-2026-124679 (this .md is for agents)

On routes using jwe-decrypt with strict set to false and a forward_header different from the token header, an unauthenticated client can supply the value the upstream treats as decrypted plaintext. A similar bypass exists when forward-auth runs with allow_degradation set to true and the auth service is unavailable.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## How to check

- Look for `jwe-decrypt` or `forward-auth` in APISIX route and plugin configuration.
- Check whether `strict` is set to `false` on `jwe-decrypt` routes.
- Check whether `allow_degradation` is set to `true` on `forward-auth`.
- Check the installed APISIX version with `apisix version`; affected versions are from 3.18.0 through 3.19.0.

## Fix

- Apache APISIX: upgrade to `3.20.0`.

## Timeline

- 2026-11-13T18:49:28+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-124679

## From the sources

Authentication bypass by spoofing vulnerability in Apache APISIX.



On routes using jwe-decrypt with strict: false and a
forward_header distinct from the token header an unauthenticated
client can supply the value the upstream treats as gateway-decrypted
plaintext. Similar can happen when forward-auth is configured with allow_degradation: true, and the auth service is unavailable.



This issue affects Apache APISIX: from 3.18.0 through 3.19.0.



Users are recommended to upgrade to version 3.20.0, which fixes the issue.

---

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