cnvd-2020-12671

EUVD-2026-36449

fkie_cve-2020-5231

In Opencast before 7.6 and 8.1, users with the role ROLE_COURSE_ADMIN can use the user-utils endpoint to create new users not including the role ROLE_ADMIN. ROLE_COURSE_ADMIN is a non-standard role in Opencast which is referenced neither in the documentation nor in any code (except for tests) but only in the security configuration. From the name – implying an admin for a specific course – users would never expect that this role allows user creation. This issue is fixed in 7.6 and 8.1 which both ship a new default security configuration.

GHSA-94qw-r73x-j7hg — Users with ROLE_COURSE_ADMIN can create new users in Opencast

Affected: Maven: org.opencastproject:opencast-kernel

### Impact

Users with the role `ROLE_COURSE_ADMIN` can use the user-utils endpoint to create new users not including the role `ROLE_ADMIN`. For example:

```bash # Use the admin to create a new user with ROLE_COURSE_ADMIN using the admin user. # We expect this to work. % curl -i -u admin:opencast 'https://example.opencast.org/user-utils/xy.json' -X PUT \ --data 'password=f&roles=%5B%22ROLE_COURSE_ADMIN%22%5D' HTTP/2 201

# Use the new user to create more new users. # We don't expüect a user with just role ROLE_COURSE_ADMIN to succeed. # But it does work % curl -i -u xy:f 'https://example.opencast.org/user-utils/ab.json' -X PUT \ --data 'password=f&roles=%5B%22ROLE_COURSE_ADMIN%22%5D' HTTP/2 201 ``` `ROLE_COURSE_ADMIN` is a non-standard role in Opencast which is referenced neither in the documentation nor in any code (except for tests) but only in the security configuration. From the name – implying an admin for a specific course – users would never expect that this role allows user creation.

### Patches

This issue is fixed in 7.6 and 8.1 which both ship a new default security configuration.

### Workarounds

You can fix this issue by removing all instances of `ROLE_COURSE_ADMIN` in your organization's security configuration (`etc/security/mh_default_org.xml` by default).

### For more information

If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:

- Open an issue in [opencast/opencast](https://github.com/opencast/opencast/issues) - For security-relevant infor…

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