Description
NATS-Server is a High-Performance server for NATS.io, a cloud and edge native messaging system. Prior to versions 2.11.15 and 2.12.6, when using mTLS for client identity, with `verify_and_map` to derive a NATS identity from the client certificate's Subject DN, certain patterns of RDN would not be correctly enforced, allowing for authentication bypass. This does require a valid certificate from a CA already trusted for client certificates, and `DN` naming patterns which the NATS maintainers consider highly unlikely. So this is an unlikely attack. Nonetheless, administrators who have been very sophisticated in their `DN` construction patterns might conceivably be impacted. Versions 2.11.15 and 2.12.6 contain a fix. As a workaround, developers should review their CA issuing practices.
Published: 2026-03-25
Score: 4.2 Medium
EPSS: < 1% Very Low
KEV: No
Impact: Authentication bypass via mTLS verify_and_map
Action: Patch
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Remediation

No vendor fix or workaround currently provided.

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Tracking

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Advisories
Source ID Title
Github GHSA Github GHSA GHSA-3f24-pcvm-5jqc NATS has mTLS verify_and_map authentication bypass via incorrect Subject DN matching
History

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 20:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}


Thu, 26 Mar 2026 16:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Linuxfoundation
Linuxfoundation nats-server
CPEs cpe:2.3:a:linuxfoundation:nats-server:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linuxfoundation
Linuxfoundation nats-server

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Nats
Nats nats Server
Vendors & Products Nats
Nats nats Server

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 00:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-289
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

threat_severity

Moderate


Wed, 25 Mar 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description NATS-Server is a High-Performance server for NATS.io, a cloud and edge native messaging system. Prior to versions 2.11.15 and 2.12.6, when using mTLS for client identity, with `verify_and_map` to derive a NATS identity from the client certificate's Subject DN, certain patterns of RDN would not be correctly enforced, allowing for authentication bypass. This does require a valid certificate from a CA already trusted for client certificates, and `DN` naming patterns which the NATS maintainers consider highly unlikely. So this is an unlikely attack. Nonetheless, administrators who have been very sophisticated in their `DN` construction patterns might conceivably be impacted. Versions 2.11.15 and 2.12.6 contain a fix. As a workaround, developers should review their CA issuing practices.
Title NATS has mTLS verify_and_map authentication bypass via incorrect Subject DN matching
Weaknesses CWE-287
CWE-295
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 4.2, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N'}


Subscriptions

Linuxfoundation Nats-server
Nats Nats Server
cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: GitHub_M

Published:

Updated: 2026-03-26T19:52:12.357Z

Reserved: 2026-03-18T02:42:27.509Z

Link: CVE-2026-33248

cve-icon Vulnrichment

Updated: 2026-03-26T19:51:09.345Z

cve-icon NVD

Status : Analyzed

Published: 2026-03-25T21:16:47.563

Modified: 2026-03-26T16:22:06.270

Link: CVE-2026-33248

cve-icon Redhat

Severity : Moderate

Publid Date: 2026-03-25T20:18:28Z

Links: CVE-2026-33248 - Bugzilla

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-03-27T09:29:47Z

Weaknesses