# CVE-2026-16764: OWASP DefectDojo API/Web serializers.py UserSerializer privileges management

> Remote attackers can escalate privileges by manipulating the is_staff argument in the UserSerializer API endpoint.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.3 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 23 Jul 2026
- **Updated:** 24 Jul 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-43fx-4mqw-qphw, GHSA-w2j3-x3j3-mm43

## What is CVE-2026-16764?

CVE-2026-16764 is a medium-severity vulnerability in OWASP DefectDojo, published on 23 Jul 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability was identified in OWASP DefectDojo 2.59.0. This issue affects the function UserSerializer of the file dojo/api_v2/serializers.py of the component API/Web. Such manipulation of the argument is_staff leads to improper privilege management. The attack may be performed from remote. The exploit is publicly available and might be used. Upgrading to version 2.58.3 and 3.0.0 is capable of addressing this issue. The name of the patch is 68a272f299d096249fd3ba9c2676bf69012857bf. It is advisable to upgrade the affected component. 2.59.0 was not intended to be released and has been removed.

Weakness: CWE-269 (Improper Privilege Management), CWE-266 (Incorrect Privilege Assignment)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-16764?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-16764?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-16764 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-16764 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-16764 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- This repository contains the exploit for CVE-2026-16764. (github_poc): https://github.com/hakaioffsec/CVE-2026-16764

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-16764 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-16764 is a medium-severity vulnerability in OWASP DefectDojo, published on 23 Jul 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-16764 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: OWASP DefectDojo. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-16764/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-16764/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-16764
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-16764
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-16764

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-16764/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.