RCE in 0xjacky Nginx-Ui
CVE-2026-42238
Nginx UI is a web user interface for the Nginx web server. Prior to version 2.3.8, nginx-ui exposes a backup restore endpoint (POST /api/restore) that is completely unauthenticated during the first 10 minutes after process startup on any fresh installation. An unauthenticated remote attacker can upload a crafted backup archive that overwrites the application's configuration file (app.ini) and SQLite database. Because the attacker controls the restored app.ini, they can inject an arbitrary OS command into the TestConfigCmd setting. After the application automatically restarts to apply the restored config, a single follow-up request triggers that command as the user running nginx-ui — typically root in Docker deployments. This issue has been patched in version 2.3.8.
Vulnerability class: RCE (Remote Code Execution)
Published · last modified .
CVSS v3 metric
CVSS v3 base score 9.8 (Critical). Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.
EPSS exploit prediction
EPSS: 0.008 (56.8th percentile), scored .
Very low probability of exploitation in the next 30 days; routine patching cadence is appropriate. 57th percentile — 56.8% of CVEs in the catalogue have a lower EPSS than this one. How to read EPSS.
EPSS over last 30 days · oldest: 0.008 · newest: 0.008 · change: +0.001
Affected products
- 0xjacky Nginx-Ui — versions < 2.3.8
- Nginxui nginx Ui
Weakness classification (CWE)
References
- github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui/security/advisories/GHSA-4pvg-prr3-9cxr (Exploit, Vendor Advisory)
- github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui/releases/tag/v2.3.8 (Release Notes)
Frequently asked questions
- What is CVE-2026-42238?
- CVE-2026-42238 is a critical-severity vulnerability in 0xjacky Nginx-Ui, classified under Code Injection. CVSS score: 9.8/10. Published 2026-05-04.
- How severe is CVE-2026-42238?
- Critical severity. CVSS v3 base score is 9.8 out of 10.