CVE-2026-80196 — kimai
CVE-2026-80196 is a CWE-640 vulnerability in kimai/kimai. A fix is available for kimai/kimai — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Kimai before 2.58.0 Authentication Bypass via Password Reset Link
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.
- CISA assesses this as automatable — exploitation doesn’t require manual, per-target effort, which raises the odds of mass scanning and opportunistic attacks.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for CVE-2026-80196.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.
Real-World Exposure
kimai/kimaiReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Packagist packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
Summary
The LoginLink signature used for password reset URLs covers only the user's id — it does not include the password hash. After a user clicks a reset link and successfully changes their password, the same link remains valid for up to 2 additional uses within a 1-hour window. Anyone who intercepts or caches the original link can log in as the user even after the password has been changed.
Details
config/packages/security.yaml:73-78 configures the login link:
login_link:
check_route: link_login_check
signature_properties: ['id']
lifetime: 900
max_uses: 3
The HMAC signature covers only id, not password, username, or email. The effective lifetime for password reset links is extended to 3600 seconds by PasswordResetController.php:106-119 via getPasswordResetRetryLifetime().
After the first successful use (where the user sets a new password), the __pw_reset__ session flag is cleared by WizardController.php:105. Subsequent uses of the same link bypass the forced-password-reset wizard and grant a normal authenticated session.
Symfony's LoginLinkHandler::consumeLoginLink decrements a per-link counter but allows up to 3 total uses. Re-issuing a new link does not invalidate the old one.
The same vulnerability affects UserLoginLinkCommand.php:77, which generates admin-on-demand login links with the same signature scheme.
PoC
Step 1 — Generate a password reset link:
docker exec <kimai_container> bin/console kimai:user:login-link <username>
Step 2 — Use the link to log in and change the password.
Step 3 — Open the same link in a different browser or incognito session.
The link logs the attacker in as a fully authenticated user, despite the password having been changed in Step 2.
Step 4 — The link works a third time (3 total uses within 1 hour).
Impact
A password reset link that leaks through any of the following channels remains a valid authentication credential even after the legitimate user has changed their password: corporate mail-relay scanners that pre-click links (Microsoft Defender ATP, Mimecast, Barracuda), shared inboxes, browser history sync across devices, HTTP referrer headers, or proxy/WAF logs. The user believes they have secured their account by setting a new password, but the leaked link still grants full access for up to 2 additional uses within the hour.
Solution
Login links now also use the password hash for generating the signature, which will immediately expire the link after the user changed the password.
Read https://www.kimai.org/en/security/ghsa-m492-gv72-xvxj for more information.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐘Packagist | kimai/kimai | all versions | 2.58.0composer require kimai/kimai:^2.58.0 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for kimai/kimai, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update kimai/kimai to 2.58.0 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2026-80196 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2026-80196 in your dependencies?
Find it across Packagist, including transitive dependencies.