Medium severity · published Mar 5, 2026
CVE-2026-21621
Improper Scope Enforcement in OAuth client_credentials Flow Allows Read-Only API Key to Escalate to Full Access
5.3
CVSS
0.3%
EPSS
No
On KEV
Description
Incorrect Authorization vulnerability in hexpm hexpm/hexpm ('Elixir.HexpmWeb.API.OAuthController' module) allows Privilege Escalation. An API key created with read-only permissions (domain: "api", resource: "read") can be escalated to full write access under specific conditions. When exchanging a read-only API key via the OAuth client_credentials grant, the resource qualifier is ignored. The resulting JWT receives the broad "api" scope instead of the expected "api:read" scope. This token is therefore treated as having full API access. If an attacker is able to obtain a victim's read-only API key and a valid 2FA (TOTP) code for the victim account, they can use the incorrectly scoped JWT to create a new full-access API key with unrestricted API permissions that does not expire by default and can perform write operations such as publishing, retiring, or modifying packages. This vulnerability is associated with program files lib/hexpm_web/controllers/api/oauth_controller.ex and program routines 'Elixir.HexpmWeb.API.OAuthController':validate_scopes_against_key/2. This issue affects hexpm: from 71829cb6f6559bcceb1ef4e43a2fb8cdd3af654b before 71c127afebb7ed7cc637eb231b98feb802d62999.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
High
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
High
Availability
None
Scope
Unchanged
Exploitation
Is it being used?
Exploit prediction (EPSS)0.3% · higher than 28% of CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo evidence yet
CISA KEVNot listed
Ransomware campaign useNot known
Affected products
Which versions
HE
hex.pm · hexpm
2025-08-18 before 2026-03-05 · source: vendor
HE
hexpm · hexpm
71829cb6f6559bcceb1ef4e43a2fb8cdd3af654b before 71c127afebb7ed7cc637eb231b98feb802d62999 · source: vendor, NVD