CVE-2026-52824 Kimai: Default APP_SECRET in Docker Image Enables Cookie Forgery and Account Takeover
An unauthenticated attacker can forge authentication cookies to take over accounts in Kimai deployments using the default Docker image secret.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2026-52824?
CVE-2026-52824 is a critical vulnerability in kimai, published on 15 Sep 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Official description
Kimai is an open-source time tracking application. Prior to 2.58.0, the official Docker image sets APP_SECRET to the public value change_this_to_something_unique in Dockerfile, and .docker/entrypoint.sh neither replaces nor rejects that value before Symfony uses it as kernel.secret. An unauthenticated attacker who reaches a deployment that did not override APP_SECRET, knows a username, correctly guesses the account ID associated with that username, and targets an account without active two-factor authentication can forge HMAC-protected authentication artifacts, including KIMAI_REMEMBER cookies and login links, to access the account without its password. The updated entrypoint generates and persists a random secret when no safe operator-provided value exists. This issue is fixed in version 2.58.0.
Weakness: CWE-1188
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-52824?
2 open source packages ship an affected version, including kimai/kimai.
| Package | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
kimai/kimai Packagist | All versions | 2.58.0 |
kimai/kimai Packagist | All versions | 2.58.0 |
How do I fix CVE-2026-52824?
Upgrade kimai/kimai to 2.58.0 or later.
Is CVE-2026-52824 being exploited?
It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-52824 exists.
Public exploit code: 1 Nuclei template and 1 proofs of concept on GitHub.
Sources
Also known as GHSA-jr9p-4h4j-6c58.