CVE-2026-52824
Kimai: Default APP_SECRET in Docker Image Enables Cookie Forgery and Account Takeover
- Published
- Sep 15, 2026
- Updated
- Sep 16, 2026
- Assigning CNA
- GitHub_M
- Evidence observed
- Aug 6, 2026
Primary CVSS
nvd · CVSS 4.0
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/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:XLow · next 30 days
- Percentile
- 70.4%
- Model date
- Oct 13, 2026
EPSS is a statistical estimate, not a certainty or a measure of impact. Combine it with CVSS, KEV status, exposure and your environment.
Summary
Kimai is an open-source time tracking application. Prior to 2.58.0, the official Docker image sets APP_SECRET to the public value change_this_to_something_unique in Dockerfile, and .docker/entrypoint.sh neither replaces nor rejects that value before Symfony uses it as kernel.secret. An unauthenticated attacker who reaches a deployment that did not override APP_SECRET, knows a username, correctly guesses the account ID associated with that username, and targets an account without active two-factor authentication can forge HMAC-protected authentication artifacts, including KIMAI_REMEMBER cookies and login links, to access the account without its password. The updated entrypoint generates and persists a random secret when no safe operator-provided value exists. This issue is fixed in version 2.58.0.
Sources
http/cves/2026/CVE-2026-52824.yaml
Nuclei TemplatesDeclared conditions
- network: http($.protocol_keys)
- verification: status,word($.matchers[*].type)
Technical analysis and PoC of CVE-2026-52824: default APP_SECRET in the Kimai Docker image enabling unauthenticated login link forgery. Affects <= 2.57.0, fixed in 2.58.0.
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