zammad: Improper Privilege Management
CVE-2026-56733 is a high-severity improper privilege management vulnerability in zammad, with a CVSS 4.0 base score of 8.7 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 zammad versions: < 7.0.2. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.27% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Check which version of zammad 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.
- Attack requirements
- NoneThe attack does not depend on a particular deployment or configuration.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Confidentiality (vulnerable system)
- HighSerious loss of confidentiality on the vulnerable system.
- Integrity (vulnerable system)
- HighSerious loss of integrity on the vulnerable system.
- Availability (vulnerable system)
- HighSerious loss of availability on the vulnerable system.
- Confidentiality (other systems)
- NoneNo loss of confidentiality on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
- Integrity (other systems)
- NoneNo loss of integrity on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
- Availability (other systems)
- NoneNo loss of availability on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X. Scored by CNA (github.com).
Official description
Zammad is a web based open source helpdesk/customer support system. Prior to 7.0.2 and 7.1.0, this issue concerns a lack of discursive validation within the authorization cascade. It has been determined that the system-level enforcement of access restrictions during the initialization of new identity objects exhibits a discrepancy: Under specific conditions, the granular restrictions of the access key being used are overridden by the latent authorization authority of the parent account. Consequently, this means that the intended separation of functional areas is nullified, resulting in an uncontrolled expansion of administrative discretion. Due to this potential integrity breach of the entire trust environment, an immediate evaluation of the authorization hierarchies is imperative. Impact An attacker can create new administrator accounts despite token restrictions. This grants full access to all system data (tickets, customers, configuration) and allows the attacker to take complete control of the Zammad instance. Abuse Scenario The vulnerability stems from a lack of synergy between the token-based authorization logic and the target system's functional authorization hierarchy, which allows for iterative escalation of the privileged access context. This issue is fixed in versions 7.0.2 and 7.1.0.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Improper Privilege Management
The product does not properly assign, modify, track, or check privileges for an actor, creating an unintended sphere of control for that actor.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Very carefully manage the setting, management, and handling of privileges. Explicitly manage trust zones in the software.
- Follow the principle of least privilege when assigning access rights to entities in a software system.
- Consider following the principle of separation of privilege. Require multiple conditions to be met before permitting access to a system resource.
More Improper Privilege Management vulnerabilities (CWE-269)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
Other vulnerabilities in zammad
- 7.8 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
Zammad GmbH Zammad Session Fixation Exploited
- 7.1 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 8.6 High severity
Recent Improper Privilege Management vulnerabilities
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.3 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
Spotted an error? Tell us.