Opencast users with ROLE_COURSE_ADMIN can create new users
Description
In Opencast before 7.6 and 8.1, users with the role ROLE_COURSE_ADMIN can use the user-utils endpoint to create new users not including the role ROLE_ADMIN. ROLE_COURSE_ADMIN is a non-standard role in Opencast which is referenced neither in the documentation nor in any code (except for tests) but only in the security configuration. From the name – implying an admin for a specific course – users would never expect that this role allows user creation. This issue is fixed in 7.6 and 8.1 which both ship a new default security configuration.
Affected packages
Versions sourced from the GitHub Security Advisory.
| Package | Affected versions | Patched versions |
|---|---|---|
org.opencastproject:opencast-kernelMaven | < 7.6 | 7.6 |
org.opencastproject:opencast-kernelMaven | >= 8.0, < 8.1 | 8.1 |
Affected products
1Patches
172fad0031d8aRemove ROLE_COURSE_ADMIN
1 file changed · +5 −5
etc/security/mh_default_org.xml+5 −5 modified@@ -297,11 +297,11 @@ <sec:intercept-url pattern="/transcripts/watson/results*" method="POST" access="ROLE_ANONYMOUS" /> <!-- Everything else is for the admin users --> - <sec:intercept-url pattern="/admin-ng" method="GET" access="ROLE_ADMIN, ROLE_ADMIN_UI, ROLE_COURSE_ADMIN" /> - <sec:intercept-url pattern="/admin-ng/" method="GET" access="ROLE_ADMIN, ROLE_ADMIN_UI, ROLE_COURSE_ADMIN" /> - <sec:intercept-url pattern="/admin-ng/index.html" access="ROLE_ADMIN, ROLE_ADMIN_UI, ROLE_COURSE_ADMIN" /> - <sec:intercept-url pattern="/index.html" access="ROLE_ADMIN, ROLE_ADMIN_UI, ROLE_COURSE_ADMIN" /> - <sec:intercept-url pattern="/**" access="ROLE_ADMIN, ROLE_COURSE_ADMIN" /> + <sec:intercept-url pattern="/admin-ng" method="GET" access="ROLE_ADMIN, ROLE_ADMIN_UI" /> + <sec:intercept-url pattern="/admin-ng/" method="GET" access="ROLE_ADMIN, ROLE_ADMIN_UI" /> + <sec:intercept-url pattern="/admin-ng/index.html" access="ROLE_ADMIN, ROLE_ADMIN_UI" /> + <sec:intercept-url pattern="/index.html" access="ROLE_ADMIN, ROLE_ADMIN_UI" /> + <sec:intercept-url pattern="/**" access="ROLE_ADMIN" /> <!-- ############################# --> <!-- # LOGIN / LOGOUT MECHANISMS # -->
Vulnerability mechanics
Generated by null/stub on May 9, 2026. Inputs: CWE entries + fix-commit diffs from this CVE's patches. Citations validated against bundle.
References
4- github.com/advisories/GHSA-94qw-r73x-j7hgghsaADVISORY
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-5231ghsaADVISORY
- github.com/opencast/opencast/commit/72fad0031d8a82c860e2bde0b27570c5042320eeghsax_refsource_MISCWEB
- github.com/opencast/opencast/security/advisories/GHSA-94qw-r73x-j7hgghsax_refsource_CONFIRMWEB
News mentions
0No linked articles in our index yet.