# CVE-2026-82266: Redpanda Admin API Unauthenticated Superuser Access via Default Configuration

> Attackers can access the Redpanda Admin API without credentials due to insecure defaults, allowing them to modify cluster settings and disrupt operations.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.3 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/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:** No
- **Published:** 28 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 24 Sep 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-qp5m-mrqw-6pxr

## What is CVE-2026-82266?

CVE-2026-82266 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in redpanda-data redpanda, published on 28 Aug 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Redpanda through 26.2.2 binds the Admin API to 0.0.0.0:9644 with admin_api_require_auth defaulting to false, treating unauthenticated requests as superusers. Attackers can reach port 9644 without credentials to create and delete broker accounts, modify cluster configuration, and disrupt partition replication.

Weakness: CWE-306 (Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-82266?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-82266?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-82266 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-82266 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-82266 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-82266 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-82266 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in redpanda-data redpanda, published on 28 Aug 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-82266 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: redpanda-data redpanda. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

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-2026-82266/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-82266/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-82266
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-82266
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-82266

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-82266/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.