penpot: Improper Authentication
CVE-2026-44986 is a critical-severity improper authentication vulnerability in penpot, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.9 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. Affected penpot versions: < 2.14.5. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.52% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Check which version of penpot you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- 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
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- ChangedThe attack can reach beyond the vulnerable component into other systems.
- 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:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA (github.com).
Official description
Penpot is an open-source design tool for design and code collaboration. Prior to 2.14.5, Penpot exposed teams_invitations.clj invitation tokens from create-team-invitations, embedded an existing profile id in auth.clj prepare-register-profile, and had auth.clj register-profile issue a session based on the invitation email match without password verification, allowing a registered user to take over any non-blocked profile. This issue is fixed in version 2.14.5.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Improper Authentication
When an actor claims to have a given identity, the product does not prove or insufficiently proves that the claim is correct.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Use an authentication framework or library such as the OWASP ESAPI Authentication feature.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: poc, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
References
Patches and release notes
Other vulnerabilities in penpot
- 9.9 Critical severity
- 7.6 High severity
- 8.7 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.7 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
Recent Improper Authentication vulnerabilities
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 9.3 Critical severity
- 9.2 Critical severity
- 8.3 High severity
- 7.7 High severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
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