Summary
ZITADEL: Actions V1 sandbox escape: host file read via require()
A vulnerability in ZITADEL Actions V1 allows an organization Action author to read files from the ZITADEL host filesystem through the JavaScript require() module loader. On common self-hosted deployments this can be chained to steal bootstrap credentials (including the Login Client PAT) and escalate from a single-tenant organization owner to instance administrator.
Affected Versions
Systems running one of the following versions are affected:
- 4.x:
4.0.0through4.16.0(including RC versions) - 3.x:
3.0.0through3.4.12(including RC versions)
Workarounds
If an immediate upgrade is not possible:
- Restrict who can create, update, or attach Actions, do not grant
org.action.write/org.flow.write(or ORG_OWNER) to untrusted administrators in multi-tenant environments. - Audit existing Actions for
require()of filesystem paths. - Remove or relocate bootstrap credential files (
login-client.pat, machine keys) so they are not readable inside the API process filesystem. - Limit host filesystem exposure for the ZITADEL process (no unnecessary readable secrets beside the binary).
Questions
If you have any questions or comments about this advisory, please email us at [email protected]
Credits
Thanks to Dor Konis (@dkonis) and Feras Daragma (@FerasTr) from GE Vernova, and to pyuysig, for finding and reporting this vulnerability.
Impact
ZITADEL Actions V1 run custom JavaScript inside the ZITADEL server process at OIDC, SAML, and login-flow trigger points. The runtime enables the goja Node-compatible require() registry without restricting the source loader, so Action scripts can load host files readable by the ZITADEL process (notably .js and .json, and in some cases other file contents via error channels).
An attacker with ORG_OWNER on any organization (which includes org.action.write and org.flow.write) can therefore:
- Read process-readable host files, including configuration or secrets mounted into the API container (for example service-account material, projected secrets, or config carrying sensitive values).
- On deployments that follow ZITADEL’s documented bootstrap paths (
ZITADEL_FIRSTINSTANCE_LOGINCLIENTPATPATH,ZITADEL_FIRSTINSTANCE_MACHINEKEYPATH), recover instance-wide credentials such as the IAM_LOGIN_CLIENT PAT or the IAM_OWNER service-account key, enabling escalation to full instance control.
This collapses the expected multi-tenant isolation boundary: a tenant organization administrator is not meant to access host filesystem secrets or instance-wide credentials.
Scope note: This issue affects Actions V1. Host command execution was not identified as part of this vulnerability. Impact depends on what the ZITADEL process can read on disk and on deployment layout, documented Compose and quick-start setups that write bootstrap PATs or machine keys into the API container amplify severity.
CVE-2026-85057 has a CVSS score of 8.7 (High). The vector is network-reachable, high 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 (1.80.0-v2.20.0.20260717062331-baf6ed501b68); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
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. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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See it in your environmentNew to Kodem? Get a demo →Remediation advice
The vulnerability has been addressed in the latest releases. The patch disables filesystem-backed module loading for Action scripts so that only the intended native zitadel/* modules can be required.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-85057? CVE-2026-85057 is a high-severity security vulnerability in github.com/zitadel/zitadel (go), affecting versions < 1.80.0-v2.20.0.20260717062331-baf6ed501b68. It is fixed in 1.80.0-v2.20.0.20260717062331-baf6ed501b68.
- How severe is CVE-2026-85057? CVE-2026-85057 has a CVSS score of 8.7 (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.
- Which versions of github.com/zitadel/zitadel are affected by CVE-2026-85057? github.com/zitadel/zitadel (go) versions < 1.80.0-v2.20.0.20260717062331-baf6ed501b68 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-85057? Yes. CVE-2026-85057 is fixed in 1.80.0-v2.20.0.20260717062331-baf6ed501b68. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-85057 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-85057 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
- What actually determines whether CVE-2026-85057 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.
- How do I fix CVE-2026-85057? Upgrade
github.com/zitadel/zitadelto 1.80.0-v2.20.0.20260717062331-baf6ed501b68 or later.