CVE-2026-86249: Apache bRPC: Authentication bypass when a server sets ServerOptions.internal_port and ServerOptions.auth

Severity: critical (CVSS 9.1 v3.1)
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 0.3% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
Public exploit or detection template: none known
Published: 2026-10-21 · updated 2026-10-30
Weakness: CWE-287

Description

On a brpc::Server that sets both ServerOptions.auth and ServerOptions.internal_port, the HTTP built-in service exemption on internal_port can be abused to bypass authentication entirely. VerifyHttpRequest() returns true without checking any credential when a built-in service is requested on internal_port, and this verdict is not per - request: verification runs only for the first message of a connection and the result latches the connection. Sending a request such as GET /status to internal_port first authenticates the whole connection, after which every subsequent request dispatched on the same connection is handled without ever calling VerifyHttpRequest(). This lets a remote attacker reach ordinary (non-built-in, non-tabbed) authenticated services without supplying valid credentials whenever the server uses ServerOptions.internal_port together with an Authenticator. The fix restricts internal_port so that it carries only built-in and Tabbed services; requests for ordinary services sent to internal_port are rejected with EPREM / HTTP 403. Mitigation / Fix: upgrade to 1.18.0 or apply PR https://github.com/apache/brpc/pull/3525 . Users who rely on serving normal services on internal_port must move those requests to the port passed to Server::Start().

Affected products

Apache Software Foundation Apache bRPC: before 1.18.0 — fixed in 1.18.0

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: Apache Software Foundation Apache bRPC 1.18.0. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

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