# CVE-2026-96453: Keycloak Admin CLI kcadm certificate validation bypass

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-96453-a-flaw-was-found-in-the-keycloak-admin-cli-kcadm-tool-which-is  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-11-05. Updated: 2026-11-05  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-96453 · Severity: high · CVSS 8 · Published 2026-11-05

Keycloak's kcadm command-line tool is used by administrators to manage identity and access control servers remotely. A flaw in how it validates server certificates allows attackers on the network to impersonate a Keycloak server and intercept administrator credentials, leading to unauthorized takeover of the entire identity management system.

Technologies: [Red Hat Keycloak](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/red-hat-keycloak). Vendors: [Red Hat](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/red-hat).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-96453 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-96453 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-96453?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 8, published 5 November 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Red Hat Keycloak.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-96453?** No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.

**How is CVE-2026-96453 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-96453?** Check whether you run Red Hat Keycloak. 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.

## Technical details

The kcadm tool improperly validates X.509 certificates when a custom truststore is configured; it accepts any self-signed certificate if the hostname matches, bypassing certificate chain verification. This allows a network attacker to perform a man-in-the-middle attack to intercept TLS traffic and steal administrative credentials used for server management. The vulnerability requires network proximity and the use of a custom truststore configuration.

## Affected products

- Red Hat Keycloak

## Timeline

- 2026-11-05: disclosed

## References

- [https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/](https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/)
- [https://access.redhat.com/jbossnetwork/restricted/listSoftware.html](https://access.redhat.com/jbossnetwork/restricted/listSoftware.html)

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