# CVE-2026-78628: Okta Credential Provider for Windows input validation flaw

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-78628-the-okta-credential-provider-for-windows-does-not-validate-a  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-10-13. Updated: 2026-10-16  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-78628 · Severity: medium · CVSS 6 · Published 2026-10-13

The Okta Credential Provider for Windows, which authenticates users during Windows logon and unlock, fails to validate credential data before processing it. An authenticated local attacker can supply malformed data that causes the authentication process to crash or leak sensitive information from memory into system logs, potentially exposing passwords or authentication tokens.

Vendors: [Okta](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/okta).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-78628 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-78628 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-78628?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 6, published 13 October 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Okta Credential Provider for Windows prior to 1.4.6.0.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-78628?** Yes: fixed in 1.4.6.0. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-78628 attacked?** It is attacked with local access, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-78628?** Check whether you run Okta Credential Provider for Windows 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

- Fixed in 1.4.6.0

## Technical details

The vulnerability is an improper input validation flaw (CWE-20) in credential buffer deserialization; the provider does not check buffer size or packed string offsets before interpreting data as a Kerberos logon structure, leading to out-of-bounds reads and writes (CWE-125, CWE-787). Attack requires local authenticated access and the ability to supply a crafted serialized credential buffer through the logon or unlock path; a successful exploit may cause denial of service or memory disclosure into local logs.

## Affected products

- Okta Credential Provider for Windows prior to 1.4.6.0

## Timeline

- 2026-10-13: disclosed

## References

- [https://trust.okta.com/security-advisories/improper-input-validation-in-the-okta-credential-provider-for-windows-cve-2026-78628](https://trust.okta.com/security-advisories/improper-input-validation-in-the-okta-credential-provider-for-windows-cve-2026-78628)