---
id: "CVE-2026-97847"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-97847"]
title: "Keycloak: hardcoded claim mappers let a client manager impersonate realm admin"
severity: "high"
cvss: 7.1
epss: null
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "infrastructure"
products: [{"name": "keycloak", "fixed": ["26.8.2"], "affected": "< 26.8.2 (lower bound unknown)", "ecosystem": "vendor"}]
ecosystems: []
tags: ["identity", "infrastructure", "keycloak", "self-hosted"]
not_affected_if: ["no-delegated-client-management"]
published_at: "2026-11-05T18:17:11+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-11-05T18:40:10+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-11-05T18:41:37+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-97847", "first_seen_at": "2026-11-05T18:40:10+00:00"}, {"source": "analyst", "url": "https://github.com/keycloak/keycloak/issues/54697", "first_seen_at": "2026-11-05T18:41:37+00:00", "cites": ["https://github.com/keycloak/keycloak/issues/54697", "https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-97847", "https://www.keycloak.org/2026/11/keycloak-2682-released"]}]
exploit_sources: []
---

# Keycloak: hardcoded claim mappers let a client manager impersonate realm admin

Keycloak's protocol mapper and identity resolution can be abused by a client manager who sets hardcoded claims on sessionless service-account tokens. Keycloak may then resolve the token bearer as a different, more privileged user, letting an attacker with limited client-management rights take full control of the realm.

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

## Affected

- vendor:keycloak affected < 26.8.2 (lower bound unknown) fixed 26.8.2

## How to check

Check your Keycloak version (Admin console > server info, or bin/kc.sh --version). Below 26.8.2 (or 26.6.8 / 26.4.17 on those lines, pending confirmation) is not fixed. Then list who holds manage-clients or client-management rights in each realm (including delegated/fine-grained admin permissions) and review service-account clients for hardcoded-claim protocol mappers that set sub, preferred_username or similar identity claims. Affected lower bound is not stated by any source read.

## Fix

Upgrade Keycloak to 26.8.2 (release notes list CVE-2026-97847 under security fixes). The project's issue #54697 also carries release labels 26.6.8 and 26.4.17 for the 26.6 and 26.4 lines; those release notes were not read, so confirm before relying on them. Red Hat builds (rhbk): check Red Hat's advisory, no fixed build was listed on its CVE page.

## Timeline

- 2026-11-05T18:40:10+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-97847
- 2026-11-05T18:41:37+00:00 analyst https://github.com/keycloak/keycloak/issues/54697 — Keycloak 26.8.2 release notes and issue #54697 (labels 26.8.2, 26.6.8, 26.4.17) name the fix; Red Hat rates Important, no mitigation, exploitation needs client-management rights and knowledge of admin identifiers. Affected lower bound unknown; backport versions from issue labels only. No exploitation or PoC found. X not searched. NVD page returned empty.

## Documents

- [advisory] [CVE-2026-97847] Client manager can replace a sessionless token principal and take over the realm https://github.com/keycloak/keycloak/issues/54697
- [describes] Red Hat CVE-2026-97847 https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-97847
- [fix] Keycloak 26.8.2 released https://www.keycloak.org/2026/11/keycloak-2682-released

## From the sources

A flaw was found in the protocol mapper and identity resolution components of Keycloak. The issue occurs when a client manager uses hardcoded-claim mappers to override identity claims in sessionless service-account tokens. Because these tokens lack a session ID, Keycloak may incorrectly resolve the token bearer as a different, highly privileged user based on the manipulated claims. This can allow an attacker with limited client management permissions to impersonate a realm administrator and gain full control over the realm.

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