# CVE-2026-57178: python-social-auth social-core VK App backend auth bypass

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-57178-python-social-auth-social-core-vk-app-backend-auth-bypass  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-09-24. Updated: 2026-09-25  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-57178 · Severity: high · CVSS 7.4 · Published 2026-09-24

The python-social-auth library's VK (VKontakte) App authentication backend failed to verify callback signatures when the auth_key parameter was missing. An attacker could forge authentication data and impersonate any VK user by submitting unsigned callback requests, leading to account takeover in applications using this backend.

Technologies: [social-auth-core (PyPI)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/social-auth-core), [Python-Social-Auth Social-Core](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/social-core). Vendors: [PyPI](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/pypi), [Python-Social-Auth](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/python-social-auth).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-57178 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-57178 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-57178?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 7.4, published 24 September 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** social-auth-core (PyPI) < 5.0.0, ECOSYSTEM:introduced=0,fixed=5.0.0; Python-Social-Auth Social-Core < 5.0.0.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-57178?** Yes. social-auth-core (PyPI): upgrade to 5.0.0 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-57178 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-57178?** Check whether you run social-auth-core (PyPI) or Python-Social-Auth Social-Core 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

- social-auth-core (PyPI): upgrade to 5.0.0 or later

  ```sh
  pip install "social-auth-core>=5.0.0"
  ```


## Technical details

The vulnerability is an improper cryptographic signature verification flaw (CWE-347) combined with an authentication bypass (CWE-287) in the VKAppOAuth2 backend. When the auth_key parameter was omitted from VK application callbacks, the backend accepted unsigned attacker-controlled data without validating the cryptographic signature, allowing an attacker to forge callback fields like viewer_id, access_token, api_id, and api_result. Attack surface requires network access to the application's authentication endpoint; no user interaction or elevated privileges are needed. The vulnerability has been patched in version 5.0.0 by enforcing mandatory presence and validity of auth_key before trusting callback data.

## Affected products

- python-social-auth social-core < 5.0.0

## Identifiers

- CVE-2026-57178
- GHSA-3c93-f73f-qc9h
- PYSEC-2026-4165

## Timeline

- 2026-09-24: disclosed
- 2026-09-24: patched: Version 5.0.0 released with fix

## References

- [https://api.github.com/users/lalalala5678](https://api.github.com/users/lalalala5678)

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