# CVE-2026-40519: Nginx Proxy Manager Authenticated RCE via setupCertbotPlugins()

> Authenticated attackers with certificate management permissions can execute arbitrary OS commands via unsanitized input in the Certbot plugin setup function.

- **Severity:** High 7.7 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **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:** 8 Jun 2026
- **Updated:** 14 Jul 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-4pgp-q8h4-9wxm

## What is CVE-2026-40519?

CVE-2026-40519 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in NginxProxyManager nginx-proxy-manager, published on 8 Jun 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Nginx Proxy Manager versions 2.9.14 through 2.15.1, fixed in commit a5db5ed, contain an authenticated remote code execution vulnerability via OS command injection in the setupCertbotPlugins() function in backend/setup.js, allowing attackers with certificates:manage permission to execute arbitrary commands by storing a malicious payload in the dns_provider_credentials field. The user-controlled dns_provider_credentials value is interpolated directly into a shell command executed via child_process.exec() without sanitization or escaping, causing the injected command to execute upon backend restart.

Weakness: CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-40519?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-40519?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-40519 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-40519 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-40519 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-40519 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-40519 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in NginxProxyManager nginx-proxy-manager, published on 8 Jun 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-2026-40519 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: NginxProxyManager nginx-proxy-manager. 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-2026-40519/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-40519/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-40519
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-40519
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-40519

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-40519/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.