# CVE-2026-45332: Automad has Broken Access Control: Unauthenticated exposure of administrator bcrypt password hashes and TOTP secrets via public API endpoint

> Unauthenticated attackers can retrieve administrator password hashes and TOTP secrets via a public API endpoint, enabling account takeover.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 28 May 2026
- **Updated:** 30 May 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-xm76-r88j-vm3g

## What is CVE-2026-45332?

CVE-2026-45332 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in marcantondahmen automad, published on 28 May 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Automad is a flat-file content management system and template engine. From 2.0.0-alpha.1 to 2.0.0-beta.27, a Broken Access Control vulnerability allows an unauthenticated attacker to retrieve the bcrypt password hash of every administrator account with a single POST request. The /_api/user-collection/create-first-user setup endpoint remains publicly accessible once initial configuration is complete and returns full serialized user data in the JSON response body. This vulnerability is fixed in 2.0.0-beta.28.

Weakness: CWE-306 (Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality), CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-45332?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including automad/automad.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `automad/automad` | Packagist | From 2.0.0-alpha.1 | 2.0.0-beta.28 |
| `automad/automad` | Packagist | From 2.0.0-alpha.1 | 2.0.0-beta.28 |

## How do I fix CVE-2026-45332?

Upgrade automad/automad to 2.0.0-beta.28 or later.

## Is CVE-2026-45332 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-45332 exists.

Public exploit code:

- https://github.com/lorenzocamilli/CVE-2026-45332-PoC (github_poc): https://github.com/lorenzocamilli/CVE-2026-45332-PoC
- Automad < 2.0.0-beta.28 - Unauthenticated Admin Password Hash Disclosure (nuclei): http/cves/2026/CVE-2026-45332.yaml

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-45332 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-45332 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in marcantondahmen automad, published on 28 May 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-45332 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- automad/automad (Packagist): affected from 2.0.0-alpha.1; fixed in 2.0.0-beta.28
- automad/automad (Packagist): affected from 2.0.0-alpha.1; fixed in 2.0.0-beta.28

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-2026-45332/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-45332/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-45332
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-45332
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-45332

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-45332/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.