Kimai: Default APP_SECRET in Docker Image Enables Cookie Forgery and Account Takeover
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- High
- Attack requirements
- None
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · None
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and GitHub.
Summary
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.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| kimai | kimai | before 2.58.0 | 2.58.0 | Patch available | CNA |
| — | kimai/kimai (Packagist) | before 2.58.0 | 2.58.0 | Patch available | GHSA-jr9p-4h4j-6c58 |
- kimai Vendorkimai Affected before 2.58.0 Fixed in 2.58.0 Patch available CNA
- kimai/kimai (Packagist) Vendor— Affected before 2.58.0 Fixed in 2.58.0 Patch available GHSA-jr9p-4h4j-6c58
Remediation
- Fix · CNA kimai (kimai) Fixed in 2.58.0
- Fix · GHSA-jr9p-4h4j-6c58 kimai/kimai (Packagist) Fixed in 2.58.0 Advisory →
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-52824
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-jr9p-4h4j-6c58
References
Other 6
- https://github.com/kimai/kimai/security/advisories/GHSA-jr9p-4h4j-6c58
- https://github.com/kimai/kimai/pull/5952
- https://github.com/kimai/kimai/commit/31a8f887a5cda517db7b4320a7ad997c87d08601
- https://github.com/kimai/kimai/releases/tag/2.58.0
- https://www.kimai.org/en/security/ghsa-jr9p-4h4j-6c58
- https://github.com/kimai/kimai
More kimai vulnerabilities
- TI-2023-30240 Kimai 1.30.10 SameSite Cookie Vulnerability Session Hijacking CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.5
- TI-2026-55437 Kimai before 2.58.0 Authentication Bypass via Password Reset Link CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
- TI-2026-55443 Kimai before 2.56.0 Authorization Bypass via TimesheetVoter CVSS 4.0CRITICAL 9.3
- TI-2026-22900 Kimai: API invoice endpoint missing customer-level access control (IDOR) CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.5
- TI-2026-55440 Kimai before 2.54.0 Username Enumeration via Timing Oracle CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 6.3
- TI-2026-37927 Incorrect authorization in kimai CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 6.3
Sources
- CVE-2026-52824 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-52824 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-jr9p-4h4j-6c58 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences