CVE-2026-42238
Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution via Backup Restore in nginx-ui
At a glance
- Source
- NVD
- EPSS
- EPSS 0.97 % · percentile 62 ()
- State
- PUBLISHED
- Published
- Updated
- Assigner
- GitHub_M
- NVD status
- Analyzed
Description
Nginx UI is a web user interface for the Nginx web server. Prior to version 2.3.8, nginx-ui exposes a backup restore endpoint (POST /api/restore) that is completely unauthenticated during the first 10 minutes after process startup on any fresh installation. An unauthenticated remote attacker can upload a crafted backup archive that overwrites the application's configuration file (app.ini) and SQLite database. Because the attacker controls the restored app.ini, they can inject an arbitrary OS command into the TestConfigCmd setting. After the application automatically restarts to apply the restored config, a single follow-up request triggers that command as the user running nginx-ui — typically root in Docker deployments. This issue has been patched in version 2.3.8.
Weaknesses (CWE)
- CWE-94 — Improper Control of Generation of Code
References
Scores
| Version | Score | Vector | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 4.0 | CRITICAL 9.0 | CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H | GitHub_M |
| CVSS 4.0 | CRITICAL 9.0 | CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H/E:X/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 | 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-4pvg-prr3-9cxr — Nginx-UI is Vulnerable to Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution via Backup Restore
- GO-2026-5129 — Nginx-UI is Vulnerable to Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution via Backup Restore in github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui
European references
- ENISA EUVD · EUVD-2026-27141
- GCVE · GCVE-0-2026-42238
Affected configurations (NVD CPE)
cpe:2.3:a:nginxui:nginx_ui:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*< 2.3.8
Affected products
| Product | Versions |
|---|---|
| 0xJacky · nginx-ui | affected < 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 |