GitHub Advisoryadvisory · Go
GHSA-6x2q-h3cr-8j2h Traefik: A timing side-channel vulnerability allows for valid username enumeration via BasicAuth middleware
MEDIUM
Official page ↗
- Aliases
- CVE-2026-41263
- Ecosystem
- Go
- Packages
- github.com/traefik/traefik/v3, github.com/traefik/traefik/v2, github.com/traefik/traefik
- Severity
- Moderate
- CVSS vector
- CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
- Weaknesses
- CWE-208
- Reviewed
- 2026-04-24
Affected packages
• Go github.com/traefik/traefik/v3: >= 3.7.0-ea.1, < 3.7.0-rc.2 → fixed in 3.7.0-rc.2
• Go github.com/traefik/traefik/v3: >= 3.0.0-beta1, < 3.6.14 → fixed in 3.6.14
• Go github.com/traefik/traefik/v2: < 2.11.43 → fixed in 2.11.43
• Go github.com/traefik/traefik: <= 1.7.34 (no fix yet)
Description
Summary
There is a timing side-channel vulnerability in Traefik's BasicAuth middleware that allows an attacker to enumerate valid usernames through response-time differences.
The variable intended to hold a constant-time fallback secret always resolves to an empty string, causing the constant-time comparison to short-circuit in microseconds rather than performing a full bcrypt evaluation. This restores the original timing oracle and makes it possible to distinguish existing users from non-existing ones by measuring authentication response times.
Patches
• https://github.com/traefik/traefik/releases/tag/v2.11.43
• https://github.com/traefik/traefik/releases/tag/v3.6.14
• https://github.com/traefik/traefik/releases/tag/v3.7.0-rc.2
For more information
If there are any questions or comments about this advisory, please open an issue.
Original Description
BasicAuth Timing Regression: CVE-2026-32595 Fix Is a No-Op Due to Map Key/Value Confusion
TL;DR
The patch for CVE-2026-32595 is a no-op. Line 49 of `basic_auth.go` has a
map key/value confusion that makes `notFoundSecret` always `""`. The
"constant time" fallback calls `goauth.CheckSecret(password, "")`, which
fast-fails in ~1us instead of running bcrypt (~60ms).
Evidence (HEAD `786f7192e`, 2026-04-09)
Black-box PoC against live traefik binary on port 28080:
| bucket | n | median | min |
|------------------------------|-----|----------|----------|
| existing user (wrong pw) | 240 | 62.85 ms | 57.54 ms |
| nonexistent user (wrong pw) | 400 | 0.48 ms | 0.35 ms |
Median ratio: 130.4x. Classification: 8/8 correct.
Go in-tree test: `goauth.CheckSecret` direct ratio 12,746x.
Root cause (4-step trace)
1. `basic_auth.go:49`: `users[slices.Collect(maps.Values(users))[0]]` -- looks
up a hash as a username key, returns `""`.
2. `basic_auth.go:119-120`: calls `goauth.CheckSecret(password, "")`.
3. `go-http-auth/basic.go:87`: empty string matches no prefix, falls to default
`compareMD5HashAndPassword`.
4. `basic.go:107-109`: `bytes.SplitN("", "$", 4)` returns length 1, function
returns instantly.
Files
• `poc/exploit.py` -- black-box Python timing oracle
• `poc/basic_auth_timing_regression_test.go` -- Go in-tree test
• `poc/traefik.yml` + `poc/dynamic.yml` -- traefik config
• `poc/live_http_poc_output_head.txt` -- verbatim PoC output on HEAD
Koda Reef
---
Related
Alias · CVE (1)
- CVE-2026-41263 Traefik is an HTTP reverse proxy and load balancer. vulnerability
Weakness · CWE (1)
- CWE-208 Observable Timing Discrepancy weakness
References
- https://github.com/traefik/traefik/security/advisories/GHSA-6x2q-h3cr-8j2h web
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-41263 advisory
- https://github.com/traefik/traefik package
- https://github.com/traefik/traefik/releases/tag/v2.11.43 web
- https://github.com/traefik/traefik/releases/tag/v3.6.14 web
- https://github.com/traefik/traefik/releases/tag/v3.7.0-rc.2 web