CVE-2026-24178: NVIDIA NVFlare Auth Bypass Vulnerability

CVE-2026-24178 Overview

NVIDIA NVFlare Dashboard contains a critical vulnerability in the user management and authentication system where an unauthenticated attacker may cause authorization bypass through user-controlled key. This vulnerability, classified as CWE-639 (Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key), allows attackers to manipulate authentication parameters to gain unauthorized access to protected resources.

A successful exploit of this vulnerability may lead to privilege escalation, data tampering, information disclosure, code execution, and denial of service. Given the network-accessible nature of this vulnerability and the lack of required privileges or user interaction, this represents a significant security risk for organizations utilizing NVFlare Dashboard for federated learning workflows.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated attackers can bypass authorization controls through user-controlled key manipulation, potentially leading to full system compromise including privilege escalation, arbitrary code execution, and complete data breach.

Affected Products

• NVIDIA NVFlare Dashboard (user management and authentication system)

Discovery Timeline

• April 28, 2026 - CVE-2026-24178 published to NVD
• April 28, 2026 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-24178

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in the user management and authentication system of NVIDIA NVFlare Dashboard. The flaw is categorized under CWE-639 (Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key), which occurs when an application uses user-supplied input to determine access rights without proper validation.

In this case, an unauthenticated attacker can manipulate authentication parameters to bypass authorization controls entirely. The attack requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it highly exploitable in environments where the NVFlare Dashboard is network-accessible. The successful exploitation can result in complete compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is improper validation of user-controlled keys used in the authorization process. The NVFlare Dashboard authentication system fails to adequately verify that the user-supplied key corresponds to a legitimate authenticated session or authorized user. This allows attackers to craft malicious requests that bypass normal authentication flows.

CWE-639 vulnerabilities typically arise when applications trust client-provided identifiers (such as user IDs, session tokens, or resource keys) without server-side verification of the requester's actual authorization level.

Attack Vector

The vulnerability is exploitable over the network without requiring any authentication credentials or user interaction. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by:

1. Identifying the NVFlare Dashboard endpoint exposed on the network
2. Analyzing the authentication mechanism to identify user-controlled key parameters
3. Crafting malicious requests with manipulated key values to bypass authorization checks
4. Gaining access to privileged functionality, sensitive data, or the ability to execute arbitrary code

The attack complexity is low, meaning readily available techniques can be used to exploit this vulnerability. The vulnerability can be leveraged to achieve privilege escalation, data tampering, information disclosure, code execution, and denial of service.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-24178

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual authentication requests to the NVFlare Dashboard with malformed or unexpected user key parameters
• Successful access to administrative or privileged endpoints from unauthenticated sources
• Anomalous user session patterns showing access without corresponding login events
• Unexpected data modifications or configuration changes in federated learning workflows

Detection Strategies

• Monitor NVFlare Dashboard access logs for authentication bypass patterns and requests with suspicious user-controlled key values
• Implement anomaly detection for requests that access privileged resources without proper authentication headers
• Deploy web application firewalls (WAF) with rules to detect authorization bypass attempts
• Configure SIEM rules to alert on multiple failed authentication attempts followed by successful access without valid credentials

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging on the NVFlare Dashboard user management endpoints
• Implement real-time alerting for any access to administrative functions from unauthenticated sessions
• Monitor network traffic for unusual patterns targeting the NVFlare Dashboard authentication endpoints
• Review audit logs regularly for signs of unauthorized privilege escalation or data access

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-24178

Immediate Actions Required

• Consult the NVIDIA Support Advisory for official patch information and update instructions
• Restrict network access to the NVFlare Dashboard to only trusted IP addresses and networks
• Implement additional authentication layers such as VPN or network segmentation until the patch is applied
• Review access logs for any signs of prior exploitation

Patch Information

NVIDIA has published a security advisory addressing this vulnerability. Organizations should consult the NVIDIA Support Advisory for the latest patch information and apply the security update as soon as possible. Additional technical details are available in the NVD CVE-2026-24178 Record.

Workarounds

• Place the NVFlare Dashboard behind a reverse proxy with strict authentication requirements
• Implement IP-based access control lists to limit exposure to trusted networks only
• Disable external network access to the Dashboard until the official patch can be applied
• Enable additional logging and monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts