Netgate pfSense CE through 2.9.0 Authorization Bypass via config_restore() and config_install()
Summary
| CVE | CVE-2026-111231 |
|---|---|
| State | PUBLISHED |
| Assigner | VulnCheck |
| Source Priority | CVE Program / NVD first with legacy fallback |
| Published | 2026-10-15 19:17:36 UTC |
| Updated | 2026-10-15 21:05:32 UTC |
| Description | Netgate pfSense CE through 2.9.0 contains an authorization bypass vulnerability that allows read-only WebGUI users to replace config.xml because config_restore() and config_install() ignore the 'User - Config: Deny Config Write' privilege. Attackers holding page privileges for services_acb.php, uploadconfig.php, diag_confbak.php, or diag_backup.php can install a chosen config.xml to gain root-level code execution after reload or reboot. |
Risk And Classification
Primary CVSS: v4.0 8.6 HIGH from [email protected]
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
Problem Types: CWE-863 | CWE-863 Incorrect Authorization
| Version | Source | Type | Score | Severity | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0 | [email protected] | Secondary | 8.6 | HIGH | CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/C... |
| 4.0 | CNA | CVSS | 8.6 | HIGH | CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N |
| 3.1 | [email protected] | Primary | 7.2 | HIGH | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| 3.1 | CNA | CVSS | 7.2 | HIGH | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
CVSS v4.0 Breakdown
Attack Vector
NetworkAttack Complexity
LowAttack Requirements
NonePrivileges Required
HighUser Interaction
NoneConfidentiality
HighIntegrity
HighAvailability
HighSub Conf.
NoneSub Integrity
NoneSub Availability
NoneCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
CVSS v3.1 Breakdown
Attack Vector
NetworkAttack Complexity
LowPrivileges Required
HighUser Interaction
NoneScope
UnchangedConfidentiality
HighIntegrity
HighAvailability
HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Vendor Declared Affected Products
| Source | Vendor | Product | Version | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CNA | Netgate | PfSense CE | affected 2.9.0 semver | Not specified |
References
| Reference | Source | Link | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|
| abraxaslabs.tech/research/pfsense-ce-leftovers | [email protected] | abraxaslabs.tech | |
| github.com/pfsense/pfsense/blob/9363ac5b8651a1c7a333180425ce7719070f95f9... | [email protected] | github.com | |
| github.com/pfsense/pfsense/blob/9363ac5b8651a1c7a333180425ce7719070f95f9... | [email protected] | github.com | |
| github.com/abraxas/pfsense-config-readonly-restore | [email protected] | github.com | |
| www.vulncheck.com/advisories/netgate-pfsense-ce-through-2.9.0-authorization-byp... | [email protected] | www.vulncheck.com | |
| CVE Program record | CVE.ORG | www.cve.org | canonical |
| NVD vulnerability detail | NVD | nvd.nist.gov | canonical, analysis |
Vendor Comments And Credit
Discovery Credit
CNA: Abraxas Labs (en)
There are currently no legacy QID mappings associated with this CVE.