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TI-2026-85485 Aliases CVE-2026-121139GHSA-9hfj-jg3v-c22g

Missing authentication in Metasploit web service allows admin creation

Priority LOW 33CWE-306Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Local
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low
Attack requirements
Present
Impact type
Security bypass
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
High · High · High
Fix status
Fixed

Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-306.

Summary

Rapid7 Metasploit Framework versions before 6.5.9 contain a missing authentication flaw (CWE-306) in the REST API. While the users table is empty, a bootstrap exemption lets POST /api/v1/users skip authentication because the administrator token check is never evaluated. An unauthenticated caller can therefore create a user, including an administrator.

Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-05

Description from the CNA

The Rapid7 Metasploit msf-ws suffers from a missing authentication vulnerability whereby the REST API grants an unauthenticated "bootstrap" exemption so that the very first administrator can be created when the users table is empty. While the table is empty, POST /api/v1/users is exempt from authentication by design: the route handler calls warden.authenticate!(scope: :admin_api), which resolves to AdminApiToken. The inherited ApiToken#authenticate! short-circuits and returns success!() whenever msf.auth_initialized is false, without ever evaluating AdminApiToken's administrator check. In that state the endpoint creates a user — including an administrator — for an entirely unauthenticated caller. This issue has been fixed in version 6.5.9.

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00154 4th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed No fixed version in the sources yet

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

No affected products listed by the sources yet.

CPE names Threatist (inferred) · 1

Inferred from how NVD named this product before; not given by a source.

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:rapid7:metasploit:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*——Rapid7
  • cpe:2.3:a:rapid7:metasploit:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions — — ·Rapid7

Remediation

Upgrade Rapid7 Metasploit Framework to version 6.5.9.

Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-05

Timeline

  1. 2026-11-05 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-121139
  2. 2026-11-05 Alias added: GHSA-9hfj-jg3v-c22g
  3. 2026-11-06 CVSS score added · CISA ADP
  4. 2026-11-06 CISA SSVC decision points changed
  5. 2026-11-06 Priority changed: MEDIUM → LOW

References

Other 1

  • TI-2023-01233 Rapid7 InsightCloudSec resource.db() method access CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
  • TI-2023-01231 Rapid7 InsightCloudSec getattr() method access CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
  • TI-2023-01232 Rapid7 InsightCloudSec box object access CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.1
  • TI-2024-00358 Rapid7 Minerva Armor Privilege Escalation CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.8
  • TI-2024-02985 Rapid7 Insight Agent Sensitive Key Exposed To Local Users CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.8
  • TI-2019-04008 Rapid7 Metasploit HTTP Handler Denial of Service CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
See all 139 →

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences