AssertionConsumerServiceURL mismatch between Request and configured metadata is handled too gracefully · Issue #2653 · simplesamlphp/simplesamlphp · GitHub
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AssertionConsumerServiceURL mismatch between Request and configured metadata is handled too gracefully #2653
Describe the bug
If a SAML SP sends an AuthNRequest with the optional parameter AssertionConsumerServiceURL, and that URL is not contained in the SP configured metadata, and the request is not signed, then authentication succeeds and SSP sends the assertion back to one of the URLs from metadata.
However, the SAML spec states
AssertionConsumerServiceURL [Optional]
Specifies by value the location to which the message MUST be returned to the
requester. The responder MUST ensure by some means that the value specified is in fact associated
with the requester.
One way is signed requests - in this case it is okay to continue the authentication and take the received AssertionConsumerServiceURL at face value.
Another way is pre-configured metadata. In that case, a mismatch is a problem.
Expected behavior
In the given situation (unsigned request, stored metadata with different ACS URLs), it is impossible to satisfy both MUST conditions simultaneously; one of the two is always violated. A protocol violation should not lead to successful auth, but raise a fatal protocol error instead.
Yeah, I agree that we should change this. I'm for more predictable and less "graceful fallback"/"guess what they meant". Nonetheless I suspect there might be a large part of real world usage that does this, precisely because it never failed so no-one noticed or corrected the difference.
So one approach may be to have a setting to re-enable it if you need the current behaviour so we do not 'insta-break' things on upgrade. I don't think there's a huge risk opened if someone would re-enable it, just less predictability/conformity.
Activity
tvdijen commentedon Jul 14, 2026
@thijskh I think we've discussed this implicit fallback in the past. Is this still something we this is a good idea?
thijskh commentedon Jul 15, 2026
Yeah, I agree that we should change this. I'm for more predictable and less "graceful fallback"/"guess what they meant". Nonetheless I suspect there might be a large part of real world usage that does this, precisely because it never failed so no-one noticed or corrected the difference.
So one approach may be to have a setting to re-enable it if you need the current behaviour so we do not 'insta-break' things on upgrade. I don't think there's a huge risk opened if someone would re-enable it, just less predictability/conformity.
tvdijen commentedon Jul 15, 2026
Let's 'fix' this with a feature-flag for the next 2.6 release and drop this for 3.0