Apache Answer 2.0.2 Auth Bypass: Unauth Users View Invite Lists; Update to 2.0.3

Apache Answer versions through 2.0.2 contain a missing authorization vulnerability that exposes internal user data. According to an advisory posted to the oss-security mailing list by Enxin Xie, the flaw allows unauthenticated or unauthorized users to retrieve the invited-user list associated with non-public questions. This occurs because the application lacks proper visibility authorization checks for this specific endpoint.

The risk

The vulnerability is rated as low severity. An unauthenticated or unauthorized user can retrieve the invited-user list associated with a non-public question due to missing visibility authorization checks. The advisory does not state that the flaw allows data modification or code execution. It strictly concerns the retrieval of user lists for private questions.

Who is exposed

Any organization running Apache Answer versions up to and including 2.0.2 is affected. The issue impacts the question invite user lookup functionality. Users who have deployed these versions in production environments should verify their current version number immediately. The flaw affects all installations of these specific versions.

Cost and compliance

The advisory does not mention specific financial costs or regulatory penalties associated with this flaw. It does not state that exposing user invitation lists violates data privacy policies. The only stated consequence is the ability to retrieve the invited-user list. Organizations should assess their own risk tolerance regarding this information disclosure.

What to watch

Security teams should monitor for unusual API calls to question invite endpoints from unauthenticated sources. Look for requests that return user lists without prior login. Verify that no automated scripts are harvesting this data. Ensure that version 2.0.3 is deployed to close this gap.

Signals worth monitoring

Teams usually detect this activity by reviewing access logs for unauthenticated requests to invite lookup endpoints. Check whether these requests return successful responses containing user identifiers. Monitor for high-frequency access patterns from single IP addresses targeting multiple question IDs. First containment moves include blocking the specific endpoint at the web application firewall level. Review server logs to identify any external actors who may have already accessed this data.

What to do and how to stay safe: Apache Answer

• Verify your current Apache Answer version and confirm if it is 2.0.2 or earlier.
• Upgrade to version 2.0.3 once the vendor provides an update to fix the authorization flaw.
• Review access logs for unauthenticated requests to question invite endpoints to assess exposure.
• Restrict access to the application at the network level if an immediate upgrade is not possible.

Step-by-step guide: Vulnerability Prioritization: Fix What Actually Matters First

General security guidance from the SecOps Signal newsroom. It is not confirmed advice from the organisations named in this story.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-68482?

It is a missing authorization vulnerability in Apache Answer that allows unauthorized users to view invited-user lists for non-public questions.

Which versions are affected?

Apache Answer versions through 2.0.2 are affected by this low-severity flaw.

How can I fix this issue?

Users are recommended to upgrade to version 2.0.3, which fixes the issue.