Introduction
Authentication abuse in a cloud security platform can lead to unauthorized access across entire organizations. The improper cryptographic signature verification in Zscaler's SAML authentication mechanism (CVE-2025-54982) is a critical risk with wide-reaching consequences for enterprises relying on Zscaler for secure access control.
Zscaler is a leading cloud security provider with a global footprint, offering secure web gateways, zero trust network access, and cloud-delivered security services to thousands of organizations. Its SAML authentication is a core component for federated identity and access management in enterprise environments.
Technical Information
CVE-2025-54982 arises from improper verification of cryptographic signatures in the SAML authentication process on Zscaler's server side. The vulnerability is classified as CWE-347 (Improper Verification of Cryptographic Signature).
SAML authentication relies on XML digital signatures to validate the authenticity and integrity of authentication assertions. In this case, the Zscaler server failed to properly verify the cryptographic signature on incoming SAML assertions. This flaw could allow an attacker to craft or manipulate SAML assertions with forged or altered signatures, potentially bypassing authentication controls and gaining unauthorized access.
No public code snippets, exploit details, or technical diagrams are available for this vulnerability. The issue is similar in nature to CVE-2023-28801, which also affected Zscaler's SAML authentication by failing to verify signatures correctly, leading to privilege escalation risks.
Affected Systems and Versions
No specific version numbers or product ranges are listed in public sources for CVE-2025-54982. The vulnerability affects Zscaler's SAML authentication mechanism on the server side. Organizations using Zscaler's SAML integration should consider their deployments potentially at risk until further version-specific information is released.
Vendor Security History
Zscaler has previously addressed similar vulnerabilities, notably CVE-2023-28801, which involved improper signature verification in SAML authentication for the Zscaler Admin UI. That issue received a CVSS score of 9.6 and was remediated through a vendor patch. Zscaler generally provides timely advisories and patches for critical vulnerabilities, reflecting a mature vulnerability management process.