# CVE-2026-44549: Open WebUI: Stored XSS in excel file preview

> Attackers can execute arbitrary scripts in victim browsers via crafted Excel files in Open WebUI, potentially leading to session hijacking or data theft.

- **Severity:** High 7.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 15 May 2026
- **Updated:** 18 May 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-jwf8-pv5p-vhmc, PYSEC-2026-2744

## What is CVE-2026-44549?

CVE-2026-44549 is a high-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Openwebui Open Webui, published on 15 May 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Open WebUI is a self-hosted artificial intelligence platform designed to operate entirely offline. Prior to 0.8.0, Excel file attachments are previewed in an unsafe way. A crafted XLSX file payload can be used to cause the sheetjs function sheet_to_html to embed an XSS payload into the generated HTML. This is subsequently added to the DOM unsanitized via @html causing the payload to trigger. This vulnerability is fixed in 0.8.0.

Weakness: CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-44549?

3 open source packages ship an affected version, including open-webui. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `open-webui` | PyPI | All versions | 0.8.0 |
| `open-webui` | PyPI | All versions | 0.8.0 |
| `open-webui` | PyPI | All versions | 0.8.0 |

Products: Openwebui Open Webui.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-44549?

Upgrade open-webui to 0.8.0 or later.

## Is CVE-2026-44549 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-44549 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in Openwebui Open Webui

- [CVE-2026-44551](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-44551/): Open WebUI: LDAP Empty Password Authentication Bypass (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2026-56400](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-56400/): open-webui - Remote Code Execution via CORS Misconfiguration and Session Validation (critical 9.0)
- [CVE-2024-8017](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-8017/): Cross-site Scripting (XSS) in open-webui/open-webui (critical 9.0)
- [CVE-2026-45672](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-45672/): Open WebUI: Jupyter code execution works despite `ENABLE_CODE_EXECUTION=false` — feature gate bypassed (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2026-87995](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-87995/): Open WebUI: Same-origin XSS to account takeover via terminal port-preview iframe hardcoding allow-same-origin (high 8.7)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-44549 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-44549 is a high-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Openwebui Open Webui, published on 15 May 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-44549 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- open-webui (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 0.8.0
- open-webui (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 0.8.0
- open-webui (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 0.8.0

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-2026-44549/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-44549/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-44549
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-44549
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-44549

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-44549/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.