Vulnerability-Lookup

GHSA-8R6W-3QQ5-4P4R

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-07-28 15:43 – Updated: 2026-07-28 15:43

Summary

Pterodactyl's improper JWT scoping allows subuser to upload files when not explicitly granted `file.create` permissions

Details

Summary

A privilege escalation vulnerability exists in the Wings /upload/file endpoint due to insufficient validation of panel-signed JWTs. Wings accepts any valid panel-signed JWT containing server_uuid, user_uuid, and unique_id, regardless of the token’s intended purpose. Because the Panel issues JWTs with these same claims for other lower-privilege operations (such as WebSocket authentication and file download links), an authenticated subuser can reuse one of those tokens to upload arbitrary files without possessing the required file.create permission.

Impact

Any subuser with permission to connect to a server's console, download files, or download backups could reuse those tokens to upload arbitrary files to the same server. A user that does not have access to a server as a subuser is not able to arbitrarily upload files.

Details

The panel generated JWT tokens for various purposes: - https://github.com/pterodactyl/panel/blob/0f82c105201b192d229f6abd5827e2ee7e672a05/app/Services/Backups/DownloadLinkService.php#L33-L36 - https://github.com/pterodactyl/panel/blob/0f82c105201b192d229f6abd5827e2ee7e672a05/app/Http/Controllers/Api/Client/Servers/FileUploadController.php#L45 - https://github.com/pterodactyl/panel/blob/0f82c105201b192d229f6abd5827e2ee7e672a05/app/Http/Controllers/Api/Client/Servers/WebsocketController.php#L58-L61 - https://github.com/pterodactyl/panel/blob/0f82c105201b192d229f6abd5827e2ee7e672a05/app/Http/Controllers/Api/Client/Servers/FileController.php#L82-L85 Though as the actual purpose is not conveyed part of the JWT tokens, this introduces this vulnerability of being able to do non-intended actions due to the expected fields (i.e. server_uuid) on most endpoints being the same when parsing it on wings' side.

PoC

Create a new subuser that has the minimal amount of permissions on a server (websocket.connect). As that subuser, retrieve a websocket JWT token from the GET /api/client/servers/[...]/websocket endpoint (in my case, I manually just make a request under that user's browser session; you can probably just resend the /websocket request in browser console to get a fresh unused token). Using that websocket token, we can abuse this by directly using it in the /upload/file endpoint of the wings node instead of using it for websocket authentication:

import requests

wings_url = 'http://[...]:8080'
websocket_token = '[...]'

res = requests.post(f'{wings_url}/upload/file', params = {
    'token': websocket_token,
}, files = {
    'files': ('file-upload.txt', b'Hello, World!'),
})
print(res.status_code, res.content)

Observe, that even though our subuser never has permissions outside viewing the console, they are able to write arbitrary files in the server. This pattern happens in a lot of other action, but this is probably the most interesting one.

Severity

8.1 (High)


                  
                    CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H

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{
  "affected": [
    {
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "Packagist",
        "name": "pterodactyl/panel"
      },
      "ranges": [
        {
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "0"
            },
            {
              "fixed": "1.12.3"
            }
          ],
          "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "Go",
        "name": "github.com/pterodactyl/wings"
      },
      "ranges": [
        {
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "0"
            },
            {
              "fixed": "1.12.2"
            }
          ],
          "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2026-54593"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-1259",
      "CWE-1270"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": true,
    "github_reviewed_at": "2026-07-28T15:43:25Z",
    "nvd_published_at": null,
    "severity": "HIGH"
  },
  "details": "### Summary\nA privilege escalation vulnerability exists in the Wings /upload/file endpoint due to insufficient validation of panel-signed JWTs. Wings accepts any valid panel-signed JWT containing `server_uuid`, `user_uuid`, and `unique_id`, regardless of the token\u2019s intended purpose. Because the Panel issues JWTs with these same claims for other lower-privilege operations (such as WebSocket authentication and file download links), an authenticated subuser can reuse one of those tokens to upload arbitrary files without possessing the required `file.create` permission.\n\n### Impact\nAny subuser with permission to connect to a server\u0027s console, download files, or download backups could reuse those tokens to upload arbitrary files to the _same server_. A user that does not have access to a server as a subuser is not able to arbitrarily upload files.\n\n### Details\nThe panel generated JWT tokens for various purposes:\n- https://github.com/pterodactyl/panel/blob/0f82c105201b192d229f6abd5827e2ee7e672a05/app/Services/Backups/DownloadLinkService.php#L33-L36\n- https://github.com/pterodactyl/panel/blob/0f82c105201b192d229f6abd5827e2ee7e672a05/app/Http/Controllers/Api/Client/Servers/FileUploadController.php#L45\n- https://github.com/pterodactyl/panel/blob/0f82c105201b192d229f6abd5827e2ee7e672a05/app/Http/Controllers/Api/Client/Servers/WebsocketController.php#L58-L61\n- https://github.com/pterodactyl/panel/blob/0f82c105201b192d229f6abd5827e2ee7e672a05/app/Http/Controllers/Api/Client/Servers/FileController.php#L82-L85\nThough as the actual purpose is not conveyed part of the JWT tokens, this introduces this vulnerability of being able to do non-intended actions due to the expected fields (i.e. `server_uuid`) on most endpoints being the same when parsing it on wings\u0027 side.  \n\n### PoC\nCreate a new subuser that has the minimal amount of permissions on a server (`websocket.connect`). As that subuser, retrieve a websocket JWT token from the `GET /api/client/servers/[...]/websocket` endpoint (in my case, I manually just make a request under that user\u0027s browser session; you can probably just resend the /websocket request in browser console to get a fresh unused token). Using that websocket token, we can abuse this by directly using it in the `/upload/file` endpoint of the wings node instead of using it for websocket authentication:\n```python3\nimport requests\n\nwings_url = \u0027http://[...]:8080\u0027\nwebsocket_token = \u0027[...]\u0027\n\nres = requests.post(f\u0027{wings_url}/upload/file\u0027, params = {\n    \u0027token\u0027: websocket_token,\n}, files = {\n    \u0027files\u0027: (\u0027file-upload.txt\u0027, b\u0027Hello, World!\u0027),\n})\nprint(res.status_code, res.content)\n```\nObserve, that even though our subuser never has permissions outside viewing the console, they are able to write arbitrary files in the server. This pattern happens in a lot of other action, but this is probably the most interesting one.",
  "id": "GHSA-8r6w-3qq5-4p4r",
  "modified": "2026-07-28T15:43:25Z",
  "published": "2026-07-28T15:43:25Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/pterodactyl/panel/security/advisories/GHSA-8r6w-3qq5-4p4r"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/pterodactyl/panel/pull/5636"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/pterodactyl/panel/commit/7ffcd636310bb72b54bac3280d2a15e727feded7"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/pterodactyl/wings/commit/d0ddc80844479302abdaf9654de3bacd511c0f5c"
    },
    {
      "type": "PACKAGE",
      "url": "https://github.com/pterodactyl/panel"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ],
  "summary": "Pterodactyl\u0027s improper JWT scoping allows subuser to upload files when not explicitly granted `file.create` permissions"
}

CVE-2026-54593 (GCVE-0-2026-54593)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2026-07-28 15:42 – Updated: 2026-07-28 16:39

Title

Pterodactyl's improper JWT scoping allows subuser to upload files when not explicitly granted `file.create` permissions

Summary

Pterodactyl is a free, open-source game server management panel. Prior to Panel version 1.12.3 and Wings version 1.12.2, the Wings /upload/file endpoint accepted any valid panel-signed JWT that contained server_uuid, user_uuid, and unique_id claims without checking the token's intended purpose; because the Panel issues JWTs carrying those same claims for lower-privilege operations such as WebSocket authentication and file-download links, an authenticated subuser could reuse one of those tokens (for example a WebSocket token obtained with only the websocket.connect permission) by replaying it against /upload/file to write arbitrary files to the same server, despite never being granted the file.create permission. This issue is fixed in Panel version 1.12.3 and Wings version 1.12.2.

Severity

8.1 (High)


                        
                          CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H

SSVC

Exploitation: poc Automatable: no Technical Impact: total

CISA Coordinator (v2.0.3)

CWE

CWE-1259 - Improper Restriction of Security Token Assignment
CWE-1270 - Generation of Incorrect Security Tokens

Assigner

GitHub_M

References

4 references

URL	Tags
https://github.com/pterodactyl/panel/security/adv…	x_refsource_CONFIRM
https://github.com/pterodactyl/panel/pull/5636	x_refsource_MISC
https://github.com/pterodactyl/panel/commit/7ffcd…	x_refsource_MISC
https://github.com/pterodactyl/wings/commit/d0ddc…	x_refsource_MISC

Impacted products

1 product

Vendor	Product	Version
pterodactyl	panel	Affected: < 1.12.3

Show details on NVD website

JSON

To clipboard

{
  "containers": {
    "adp": [
      {
        "metrics": [
          {
            "other": {
              "content": {
                "id": "CVE-2026-54593",
                "options": [
                  {
                    "Exploitation": "poc"
                  },
                  {
                    "Automatable": "no"
                  },
                  {
                    "Technical Impact": "total"
                  }
                ],
                "role": "CISA Coordinator",
                "timestamp": "2026-07-28T16:39:28.643328Z",
                "version": "2.0.3"
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      }
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    "cna": {
      "affected": [
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          "product": "panel",
          "vendor": "pterodactyl",
          "versions": [
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              "version": "\u003c 1.12.3"
            }
          ]
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      ],
      "descriptions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "Pterodactyl is a free, open-source game server management panel. Prior to Panel version 1.12.3 and Wings version 1.12.2, the Wings /upload/file endpoint accepted any valid panel-signed JWT that contained server_uuid, user_uuid, and unique_id claims without checking the token\u0027s intended purpose; because the Panel issues JWTs carrying those same claims for lower-privilege operations such as WebSocket authentication and file-download links, an authenticated subuser could reuse one of those tokens (for example a WebSocket token obtained with only the websocket.connect permission) by replaying it against /upload/file to write arbitrary files to the same server, despite never being granted the file.create permission. This issue is fixed in Panel version 1.12.3 and Wings version 1.12.2."
        }
      ],
      "metrics": [
        {
          "cvssV3_1": {
            "attackComplexity": "LOW",
            "attackVector": "NETWORK",
            "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
            "baseScore": 8.1,
            "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
            "confidentialityImpact": "NONE",
            "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
            "privilegesRequired": "LOW",
            "scope": "UNCHANGED",
            "userInteraction": "NONE",
            "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H",
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      "references": [
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          "name": "https://github.com/pterodactyl/panel/security/advisories/GHSA-8r6w-3qq5-4p4r",
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      "source": {
        "advisory": "GHSA-8r6w-3qq5-4p4r",
        "discovery": "UNKNOWN"
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      "title": "Pterodactyl\u0027s improper JWT scoping allows subuser to upload files when not explicitly granted `file.create` permissions"
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    "dateReserved": "2026-06-15T19:45:23.539Z",
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    "state": "PUBLISHED"
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  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
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}

Sightings

Author	Source	Type	Date	Other

Nomenclature

Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.

Detection rules are retrieved from Rulezet.

The MITRE ATT&CK techniques below are AI-generated suggestions, inferred from the description of the vulnerability by the CIRCL/vulnerability-attack-technique-classification-roberta-base model, served locally by ML-Gateway. They have not been verified by an analyst and are provided for guidance only.

Action not permitted

GHSA-8R6W-3QQ5-4P4R

Summary

Impact

Details

PoC

CVE-2026-54593 (GCVE-0-2026-54593)

Tags

Sightings

Nomenclature