EMQX: Stale plugins allow grants amplify a compromised admin/API key to remote code execution
Summary
| CVE | CVE-2026-44725 |
|---|---|
| State | PUBLISHED |
| Assigner | GitHub_M |
| Source Priority | CVE Program / NVD first with legacy fallback |
| Published | 2026-08-20 15:17:30 UTC |
| Updated | 2026-08-21 22:16:37 UTC |
| Description | EMQX is a scalable and reliable MQTT broker for AI, IoT, IIoT, and connected vehicles. Prior to versions 5.8.11, 5.9.3, 5.10.4, 6.0.3, 6.1.2, and 6.2.1, the plugin-install REST API and dashboard upload accepted stale grants created with emqx ctl plugins allow because there was no five-minute grant lifetime or SHA-256 package binding. An attacker with a compromised dashboard administrator credential or API key with plugin-install permission who finds a stale allowed name and version can upload attacker-controlled bytes under the allowed .tar.gz filename through POST /api/v5/plugins/install or the dashboard plugin upload. The broker then installs and runs attacker-controlled Erlang code with the privileges of the EMQX process. This issue is fixed in versions 5.8.11, 5.9.3, 5.10.4, 6.0.3, 6.1.2, and 6.2.1. |
Risk And Classification
Primary CVSS: v3.1 6.6 MEDIUM from [email protected]
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS: 0.002530000 probability, percentile 0.165210000 (date 2026-08-24)
Problem Types: CWE-345 | CWE-672 | CWE-345 CWE-345: Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity | CWE-672 CWE-672: Operation on a Resource after Expiration or Release
| Version | Source | Type | Score | Severity | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | [email protected] | Secondary | 6.6 | MEDIUM | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| 3.1 | CNA | DECLARED | 6.6 | MEDIUM | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
CVSS v3.1 Breakdown
Attack Vector
NetworkAttack Complexity
HighPrivileges Required
HighUser Interaction
NoneScope
UnchangedConfidentiality
HighIntegrity
HighAvailability
HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Vendor Declared Affected Products
| Source | Vendor | Product | Version | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CNA | Emqx | Emqx | affected < 5.8.11 | Not specified |
| CNA | Emqx | Emqx | affected >= 5.9.0, < 5.9.3 | Not specified |
| CNA | Emqx | Emqx | affected >= 5.10.0, < 5.10.4 | Not specified |
| CNA | Emqx | Emqx | affected >= 6.0.0, < 6.0.3 | Not specified |
| CNA | Emqx | Emqx | affected >= 6.1.0, < 6.1.2 | Not specified |
| CNA | Emqx | Emqx | affected >= 6.2.0, < 6.2.1 | Not specified |
References
| Reference | Source | Link | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|
| github.com/emqx/emqx/releases/tag/6.0.3 | [email protected] | github.com | |
| github.com/emqx/emqx/releases/tag/e5.8.11 | [email protected] | github.com | |
| github.com/emqx/emqx/pull/17201 | [email protected] | github.com | |
| github.com/emqx/emqx/commit/efa1ca1bef1517f1f87e1d562f8db8750b6d6ce3 | [email protected] | github.com | |
| github.com/emqx/emqx/releases/tag/e5.10.4 | [email protected] | github.com | |
| github.com/emqx/emqx/releases/tag/6.2.1 | [email protected] | github.com | |
| github.com/emqx/emqx/releases/tag/6.1.2 | [email protected] | github.com | |
| github.com/emqx/emqx/commit/2f926359fa847dd9928a8e94d3e342f5621806f4 | [email protected] | github.com | |
| github.com/emqx/emqx/security/advisories/GHSA-cp9x-5qwc-fj6r | [email protected] | github.com | |
| github.com/emqx/emqx/pull/17200 | [email protected] | github.com | |
| CVE Program record | CVE.ORG | www.cve.org | canonical |
| NVD vulnerability detail | NVD | nvd.nist.gov | canonical, analysis |
No vendor comments have been submitted for this CVE.
There are currently no legacy QID mappings associated with this CVE.