nginx-ui: Unauthenticated First-Run Installer Allows Remote Initial Admin Claim (0xJacky nginx-ui)
At a glance
- Source
- NVD
- EPSS
- EPSS 1.34 % · percentile 71 ()
- State
- PUBLISHED
- Published
- Updated
- Assigner
- GitHub_M
- NVD status
- Analyzed
Description
Nginx UI is a web user interface for the Nginx web server. From version 2.0.0 to before version 2.3.8, an unauthenticated network attacker can claim the initial administrator account on a fresh nginx-ui instance during the first-run setup window. The public /api/install endpoint is reachable without authentication, and the request-encryption flow only protects payload confidentiality in transit; it does not authenticate who is allowed to perform installation. A remote attacker who reaches the service before the legitimate operator can set the admin email, username, and password, causing permanent initial-instance takeover. This issue has been patched in version 2.3.8.
Weaknesses (CWE)
- CWE-306 — Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality
References
Scores
| Version | Score | Vector | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | HIGH 8.1 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H | GitHub_M |
| CVSS 3.1 | HIGH 8.1 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H | NVD · security-advisories@github.com (Secondary) |
| CVSS 3.1 | CRITICAL 9.8 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H | NVD · nvd@nist.gov (Primary) |
Advisories
- GHSA-h27v-ph7w-m9fp — Nginx-UI: Unauthenticated First-Run Installer Allows Remote Initial Admin Claim
- GO-2026-5412 — Nginx-UI: Unauthenticated First-Run Installer Allows Remote Initial Admin Claim in github.com/0xJacky/Nginx-UI
European references
- ENISA EUVD · EUVD-2026-27135
- GCVE · GCVE-0-2026-42221
Affected configurations (NVD CPE)
cpe:2.3:a:nginxui:nginx_ui:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*≥ 2.0.0 < 2.3.8
Affected products
| Product | Versions |
|---|---|
| 0xJacky · nginx-ui | affected >= 2.0.0, < 2.3.8 |
Sources
| Source | Licence |
|---|---|
| CVE List (CVEProject cvelistV5) | CVE Program Terms of Use |
| EPSS (FIRST.org) | FIRST — attribution requested |
| ENISA EUVD | ENISA — reproduction authorised, source acknowledged |
| NVD (NIST) via fkie-cad/nvd-json-data-feeds | Public domain — this product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD |