Security experts classify CVE-2026-23901 as a minor vulnerability with limited consequences.
Status: Analyzed
Last updated: 🕞 12 Feb 2026, 15:30 UTC
Originally published on: 🕙 10 Feb 2026, 10:15 UTC
Time between publication and last update: 2 days
CVSS Release: version 3
nvd@nist.gov
Primary
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
CVE-2026-23901: Observable Timing Discrepancy vulnerability in Apache Shiro. This issue affects Apache Shiro: from 1.*, 2.* before 2.0.7. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 2.0.7 or later, which fixes the issue. Prior to Shiro 2.0.7, code paths for non-existent vs. existing users are different enough, that a brute-force attack may be able to tell, by timing the requests only, determine if the request failed because of a non-existent user vs. wrong password. The most likely attack vector is a local attack only. Shiro security model https://shiro.apache.org/security-model.html#username_enumeration discusses this as well. Typically, brute force attack can be mitigated at the infrastructure level.
The exploitability of CVE-2026-23901 depends on two key factors: attack complexity (the level of effort required to execute an exploit) and privileges required (the access level an attacker needs).
This vulnerability, CVE-2026-23901, requires a high level of attack complexity and low privileges, making it difficult but not impossible to exploit. Organizations should ensure robust security configurations to mitigate risks.
A lower complexity and fewer privilege requirements make exploitation easier. Security teams should evaluate these aspects to determine the urgency of mitigation strategies, such as patch management and access control policies.
Attack Complexity (AC) measures the difficulty in executing an exploit. A high AC means that specific conditions must be met, making an attack more challenging, while a low AC means the vulnerability can be exploited with minimal effort.
Privileges Required (PR) determine the level of system access necessary for an attack. Vulnerabilities requiring no privileges are more accessible to attackers, whereas high privilege requirements limit exploitation to authorized users with elevated access.
Above is the CVSS Sub-score Breakdown for CVE-2026-23901, illustrating how Base, Impact, and Exploitability factors combine to form the overall severity rating. A higher sub-score typically indicates a more severe or easier-to-exploit vulnerability.
Below is the Impact Analysis for CVE-2026-23901, showing how Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability might be affected if the vulnerability is exploited. Higher values usually signal greater potential damage.
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