# CVE-2026-45402: Open WebUI: Cross-User File Access via Unchecked file_id in Folder Knowledge and Knowledge-Base Attach Endpoints

> Authenticated users can access or modify other users' private files by exploiting missing ownership checks on file attachment endpoints.

- **Severity:** High 8.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/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:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 15 May 2026
- **Updated:** 19 May 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-r472-mw7m-967f, PYSEC-2026-2752

## What is CVE-2026-45402?

CVE-2026-45402 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Openwebui Open Webui, published on 15 May 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Open WebUI is a self-hosted artificial intelligence platform designed to operate entirely offline. Prior to 0.9.5, multiple endpoints accept a user-supplied file_id and attach the referenced file to a resource the caller controls (folder knowledge, knowledge-base contents) without verifying that the caller owns or has been granted access to the file. The file's content then becomes reachable through the downstream RAG / file-content paths, allowing any authenticated user to exfiltrate any other user's private file — and on the knowledge-base path, also to overwrite it — given knowledge of the file's UUID. This affects backend/open_webui/routers/folders.py (POST /api/v1/folders/{id}/update), backend/open_webui/routers/knowledge.py (add_file_to_knowledge_by_id), and backend/open_webui/routers/knowledge.py (add_files_to_knowledge_by_id_batch). This vulnerability is fixed in 0.9.5.

Weakness: CWE-639 (Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-45402?

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 | 0.9.5 |
| `open-webui` | PyPI | All versions | 0.9.5 |
| `open-webui` | PyPI | All versions | 0.9.5 |

Products: Openwebui Open Webui.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-45402?

Upgrade open-webui to 0.9.5 or later.

## Is CVE-2026-45402 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-45402 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-2026-45402 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-45402 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Openwebui Open Webui, published on 15 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-2026-45402 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- open-webui (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 0.9.5
- open-webui (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 0.9.5
- open-webui (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 0.9.5

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-2026-45402/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-45402/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-45402
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-45402
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-45402

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-45402/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.