# 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.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.1 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 15 Sep 2026
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-r3cw-c95m-wfh9, PYSEC-2026-428

## 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.

Weakness: CWE-836 (Use of Password Hash Instead of Password for Authentication), CWE-287 (Improper Authentication), CWE-328 (Use of Weak Hash), CWE-256 (Plaintext Storage of a Password)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-46488?

3 open source packages ship an affected version, including motioneye.


| Package | Ecosystem | 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.

## Is CVE-2026-46488 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-46488 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-46488 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: 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.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-46488 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- motioneye (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 0.44.0
- motioneye (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 0.44.0
- motioneye (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 0.44.0

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-2026-46488/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-46488/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-46488
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-46488
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-46488

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-46488/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.