# CVE-2026-53514: Better Auth improper authentication in organization invitation endpoints

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-53514-better-auth-improper-authentication-in-organization-invitation  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-07-15. Updated: 2026-07-15  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-53514 · Severity: high · CVSS 7.7 · Published 2026-07-15

Better Auth is a security library used by developers to handle user logins and permissions in TypeScript applications. A flaw in its organization plugin allowed users to accept invitations using unverified email addresses, provided they could obtain the invitation ID. This could allow an attacker to hijack an invitation intended for someone else, potentially gaining unauthorized access to a company's internal organization data or resources.

Technologies: [better-auth (npm)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/better-auth). Vendors: [npm](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/npm).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-53514 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-53514 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-53514?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 7.7, published 15 July 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** better-auth (npm) < 1.6.11, SEMVER:introduced=0,fixed=1.6.11.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-53514?** Yes. better-auth (npm): upgrade to 1.6.11 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-53514 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-53514?** Check whether you run better-auth (npm) at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## How to fix

- better-auth (npm): upgrade to 1.6.11 or later

  ```sh
  npm install better-auth@1.6.11
  ```


## Technical details

A vulnerability exists in the Better Auth organization plugin where the `acceptInvitation`, `rejectInvitation`, `getInvitation`, and `listUserInvitations` endpoints rely on a simple string match between `session.user.email` and the invitation email without verifying that the session email is actually owned by the user. An attacker can exploit this by pre-registering an unverified account using a victim's email address. If the attacker obtains a valid invitation ID (e.g., if IDs are predictable or leaked), they can accept the invitation on behalf of the victim. The issue was initially fixed in version 1.6.11 by enabling `requireEmailVerificationOnInvitation` by default, but configurations in 1.6.14 and later may still be vulnerable if this setting is manually disabled or if opaque invitation IDs are not used.

## Affected products

- better-auth Better Auth < 1.6.11, >= 1.6.14

## Identifiers

- CVE-2026-53514
- GHSA-fmh4-wcc4-5jm3

## Timeline

- 2026-05-12: patched: Fix committed and version 1.6.11 released.
- 2026-07-15: advisory: CVE-2026-53514 published.

## References

- [https://github.com/better-auth/better-auth/commit/23094a628f007f801be6d26e5b15dc5fc6fc4eb8](https://github.com/better-auth/better-auth/commit/23094a628f007f801be6d26e5b15dc5fc6fc4eb8)
- [https://github.com/better-auth/better-auth/pull/9577](https://github.com/better-auth/better-auth/pull/9577)
- [https://github.com/better-auth/better-auth/releases/tag/v1.6.11](https://github.com/better-auth/better-auth/releases/tag/v1.6.11)
- [https://github.com/better-auth/better-auth/security/advisories/GHSA-fmh4-wcc4-5jm3](https://github.com/better-auth/better-auth/security/advisories/GHSA-fmh4-wcc4-5jm3)

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