CVE-2026-27468: Mastodon is a free, open-source social network server based on ActivityPub. FASP registration requires manual approval by an administrator. In version...

Description

Mastodon is a free, open-source social network server based on ActivityPub. FASP registration requires manual approval by an administrator. In versions 4.4.0 through 4.4.13 and 4.5.0 through 4.5.6, actions performed by a FASP to subscribe to account/content lifecycle events or to backfill content did not check properly whether the FASP was actually approved. This only affects Mastodon servers that have opted in to testing the experimental FASP feature by setting the environment variable `EXPERIMENTAL_FEATURES` to a value including `fasp`. An attacker can make subscriptions and request content backfill without approval by an administrator. Done once, this leads to minor information leak of URIs that are publicly available anyway. But done several times this is a serious vector for DOS, putting pressure on the sidekiq worker responsible for the `fasp` queue. The fix is included in the 4.4.14 and 4.5.7 releases. Admins that are actively testing the experimental "fasp" feature should update their systems. Servers not using the experimental feature flag `fasp` are not affected.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

8.2/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:H

CVSS 4.0

4.8/10

CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X

EPSS Probability

0.24%

15.4th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-862

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Joinmastodon	Mastodon	>= 4.4.0, < 4.4.14
Joinmastodon	Mastodon	>= 4.5.0, < 4.5.7

References

Timeline

Published: Feb 24, 2026
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Analyzed

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-27468?

Mastodon is a free, open-source social network server based on ActivityPub. FASP registration requires manual approval by an administrator. In versions 4.4.0 through 4.4.13 and 4.5.0 through 4.5.6, actions performed by a FASP to subscribe to account/content lifecycle events or to backfill content did not check properly whether the FASP was actually approved. This only affects Mastodon servers that have opted in to testing the experimental FASP feature by setting the environment variable `EXPERIMENTAL_FEATURES` to a value including `fasp`. An attacker can make subscriptions and request content backfill without approval by an administrator. Done once, this leads to minor information leak of URIs that are publicly available anyway. But done several times this is a serious vector for DOS, putting pressure on the sidekiq worker responsible for the `fasp` queue. The fix is included in the 4.4.14 and 4.5.7 releases. Admins that are actively testing the experimental "fasp" feature should update their systems. Servers not using the experimental feature flag `fasp` are not affected.

How severe is CVE-2026-27468?

CVE-2026-27468 has a CVSS score of 4.8/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.24% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2026-27468?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.