# CVE-2026-42220: Nginx-UI: Authenticated settings disclosure exposes node.secret and enables trusted-node authentication abuse, backup exfiltration, and restore-based nginx-ui state rollback

> Authenticated users can retrieve sensitive node secrets, enabling trusted-node authentication abuse and state rollback in Nginx UI.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 4 May 2026
- **Updated:** 6 May 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-7jrr-xw9c-mj39, GO-2026-5227

## What is CVE-2026-42220?

CVE-2026-42220 is a medium-severity vulnerability in 0xJacky nginx-ui, published on 4 May 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Nginx UI is a web user interface for the Nginx web server. Prior to version 2.3.8, an authenticated user can call GET /api/settings and retrieve sensitive configuration values, including node.secret. The same node.secret is accepted by AuthRequired() through the X-Node-Secret header (or node_secret query parameter), causing the request to be treated as authenticated via the trusted-node path and associated with the init user. This issue has been patched in version 2.3.8.

Weakness: CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization), CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-42220?

3 open source packages ship an affected version, including github.com/0xJacky/Nginx-UI. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `github.com/0xJacky/Nginx-UI` | Go | All versions | None |
| `github.com/0xJacky/Nginx-UI` | Go | All versions to 1.9.9 | None |
| `github.com/0xJacky/Nginx-UI` | Go | All versions to 1.9.9 | None |

Products: Nginxui Nginx Ui.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-42220?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2026-42220 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-42220 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in 0xJacky nginx-ui

- [CVE-2026-33032](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-33032/): Nginx UI: Unauthenticated MCP Endpoint Allows Remote Nginx Takeover (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-27944](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-27944/): Nginx UI: Unauthenticated Backup Download with Encryption Key Disclosure (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2024-23827](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-23827/): Nginx-UI arbitrary file write through the Import Certificate feature (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-107806](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-107806/): Nginx UI: Authenticated Remote Code Execution via Backup Restore App Config Overwrite (critical 9.4)
- [CVE-2026-33026](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-33026/): nginx-ui Backup Restore Allows Tampering with Encrypted Backups (critical 9.4)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-42220 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-42220 is a medium-severity vulnerability in 0xJacky nginx-ui, published on 4 May 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-42220 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- github.com/0xJacky/Nginx-UI (Go): affected all versions; no fix listed
- github.com/0xJacky/Nginx-UI (Go): affected all versions up to 1.9.9; no fix listed
- github.com/0xJacky/Nginx-UI (Go): affected all versions up to 1.9.9; no fix listed

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-2026-42220/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-42220/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-42220
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-42220
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-42220

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-42220/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.