# CVE-2026-48746: vLLM: OpenAI auth bypass

> Attackers can bypass OpenAI API authentication in vLLM to access the API without providing the configured API key.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 22 Jun 2026
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-94f4-hr76-p5j6, MINI-357x-mh56-h27j, MINI-9g3f-jm52-5vcc, MINI-fvcq-7xm6-xvx9, PYSEC-2026-226

## What is CVE-2026-48746?

CVE-2026-48746 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Vllm Vllm, published on 22 Jun 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

vLLM is an inference and serving engine for large language models (LLMs). From 0.3.0 until 0.22.0, a vulnerability in ASGI web servers and starlette's trust on those web servers enables an authentication bypass of the OpenAI API AuthenticationMiddleware. It allows to use the API without providing the configured VLLM_API_KEY or --api-key. This vulnerability is fixed in 0.22.0.

Weakness: CWE-501 (Trust Boundary Violation), CWE-444 (Inconsistent Interpretation of HTTP Requests)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-48746?

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


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `vllm` | PyPI | From 0.3.0 | 0.22.0 |
| `vllm` | PyPI | From 0.3.0 | 0.22.0 |
| `vllm` | PyPI | From 0.3.0 | 0.22.0 |

Products: Vllm Vllm.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-48746?

Upgrade vllm to 0.22.0 or later.

## Is CVE-2026-48746 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-48746 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in Vllm Vllm

- [CVE-2025-32444](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-32444/): vLLM Vulnerable to Remote Code Execution via Mooncake Integration (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2026-22778](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-22778/): vLLM leaks a heap address when PIL throws an error (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2025-47277](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-47277/): vLLM Allows Remote Code Execution via PyNcclPipe Communication Service (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2024-11041](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-11041/): Remote Code Execution in vllm-project/vllm (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2025-29783](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-29783/): vLLM Allows Remote Code Execution via Mooncake Integration (critical 9.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-48746 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-48746 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Vllm Vllm, published on 22 Jun 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-2026-48746 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- vllm (PyPI): affected from 0.3.0; fixed in 0.22.0
- vllm (PyPI): affected from 0.3.0; fixed in 0.22.0
- vllm (PyPI): affected from 0.3.0; fixed in 0.22.0

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-2026-48746/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-48746/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-48746
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-48746
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-48746

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-48746/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.