openemr: Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type
CVE-2026-126428 is a high-severity unrestricted upload of file with dangerous type vulnerability in openemr, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. The record lists version 8.5.0 as the first without the flaw, so updating openemr to that release or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.66% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 52% of scored CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update openemr to 8.5.0 or a later version.
- Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- HighSuccess depends on conditions outside the attacker's control.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA (vulncheck.com).
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 4.0 | 7.7 | High | CNA (vulncheck.com) |
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.5 | High | CNA (vulncheck.com) |
Official description
OpenEMR before 8.5.0 contains a remote code execution vulnerability that allows authenticated billing users to store attacker-controlled PHP by uploading a malformed ERA file to era_payments.php. Attackers with a database-write primitive such as SQL injection can register a background_services row whose require_once loads the stored .edi file, executing PHP as the web-server user.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type
The product allows the upload or transfer of dangerous file types that are automatically processed within its environment.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Generate a new, unique filename for an uploaded file instead of using the user-supplied filename, so that no external input is used at all.
- When the set of acceptable objects, such as filenames or URLs, is limited or known, create a mapping from a set of fixed input values (such as numeric IDs) to the actual filenames or URLs, and reject all other inputs.
- Consider storing the uploaded files outside of the web document root entirely. Then, use other mechanisms to deliver the files dynamically.
More Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type vulnerabilities (CWE-434)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: poc, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
References
Other references
Other vulnerabilities in openemr
- 7.1 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.6 High severity
- 7.2 High severity
- 7.7 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
Recent Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type vulnerabilities
- 9.9 Critical severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 7.1 High severity
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