CVE-2026-52824
CriticalKimai: Default APP_SECRET in Docker Image Enables Cookie Forgery and Account Takeover
Published Jul 14, 2026 · Updated Oct 2, 2026 · Also known as EUVD-2026-78402, GHSA-jr9p-4h4j-6c58
Key Facts
Patch in the next maintenance window- CVE-2026-52824 is a critical-severity vulnerability (CVSS 9.1 v4) affecting kimai/kimai (composer), kimai.
- It is not listed in any known-exploited vulnerabilities catalog. No public exploit code is known.
- EPSS estimates a 1.3% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
- Fixed versions are available, including kimai 2.58.0, kimai/kimai 2.58.0.
- Brandefense priority: patch in the next maintenance window, because of its high severity, although no exploitation is known.
CVSS v4
9.1
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
EPSS (30-day exploit likelihood)
1.3%
Higher than 70.6% of all scored CVEs
Exploited in the wild
No known
Not in a known-exploited catalog
Public exploit code
None known
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Description
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.
Affected Products
2 affected entries in total| Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| kimai/kimaicomposer | See advisory | 2.58.0 |
| kimai | See advisory | 2.58.0 |
Patched Releases
kimai
2.58.0
kimai/kimai
2.58.0
Timeline
Publicly disclosed
Jul 14, 2026
Last updated
Oct 2, 2026
Weakness Type
- CWE-1188 Initialization of a Resource with an Insecure Default
References
- advisoryGHSA advisory
- advisoryhttps://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2026/52xxx/CVE-2026-52824.json
- advisoryhttps://github.com/kimai/kimai/security/advisories/GHSA-jr9p-4h4j-6c58
- advisoryhttps://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-52824
- otherhttps://github.com/kimai/kimai
FAQ
Common Questions.
Kimai is an open-source time tracking application.
Affected: kimai/kimai (composer); kimai. The full list is in the CVE brief.
It is not listed in any known-exploited vulnerabilities catalog.
No, it is not currently listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
No public exploit code is known.
Fixed versions are available, including kimai 2.58.0, kimai/kimai 2.58.0.
Brandefense priority: patch in the next maintenance window, because of its high severity, although no exploitation is known.
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