CVE-2026-46488 motionEye: Authentication possible via password hash
An attacker can bypass authentication in motionEye by exploiting insecure cookie-based validation and readable config files to impersonate users and access data.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2026-46488?
CVE-2026-46488 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in motioneye-project motioneye, published on 15 Sep 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Official description
motionEye (mEye) is an online interface for a piece of software called "motion," which is a video surveillance program with motion detection. Prior to 0.44.0, motionEye accepts the client-controlled meye_username and meye_password_hash cookies as authentication material without server-side session validation. An unauthenticated attacker who knows a target username and corresponding hash can set the cookies manually or cause them to be loaded by submitting blank credentials through the switch-user authentication flow, after which the server authenticates the attacker as that user. The administrator username and password-hash value are stored in /etc/motioneye/motion.conf, which is globally readable by default, allowing a local shell user to obtain reusable administrator credential material. Successful impersonation can enable account lockout, password changes and persistence, data enumeration, data destruction, and data exfiltration. This issue is fixed in version 0.44.0.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-46488?
3 open source packages ship an affected version, including motioneye.
| Package | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
motioneye PyPI | All versions | 0.44.0 |
motioneye PyPI | All versions | 0.44.0 |
motioneye PyPI | All versions | 0.44.0 |
How do I fix CVE-2026-46488?
Upgrade motioneye to 0.44.0 or later.
Upgrade, and rotate credentials and sessions that may have been exposed. More about Authentication bypass.
Is CVE-2026-46488 being exploited?
It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-46488 exists.
Sources
Also known as GHSA-r3cw-c95m-wfh9, PYSEC-2026-428.