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CVE-2026-111231

Full vulnerability record from the local CVENow database.

Description

Netgate pfSense CE through 2.9.0 contains an authorization bypass vulnerability that allows read-only WebGUI users to replace config.xml because config_restore() and config_install() ignore the 'User - Config: Deny Config Write' privilege. Attackers holding page privileges for services_acb.php, uploadconfig.php, diag_confbak.php, or diag_backup.php can install a chosen config.xml to gain root-level code execution after reload or reboot.

Severity
HIGH
CVSS score
8.6 (v4.0)
Vulnerability status
Analyzed
Source identifier
Published
2026-10-15 19:17:36.110000
Last modified
2026-10-26 16:17:13.660000
View original CVE JSON
{
  "id": "CVE-2026-111231",
  "sourceIdentifier": "[email protected]",
  "published": "2026-10-15T19:17:36.110",
  "lastModified": "2026-10-26T16:17:13.660",
  "vulnStatus": "Analyzed",
  "cveTags": [],
  "descriptions": [
    {
      "lang": "en",
      "value": "Netgate pfSense CE through 2.9.0 contains an authorization bypass vulnerability that allows read-only WebGUI users to replace config.xml because config_restore() and config_install() ignore the 'User - Config: Deny Config Write' privilege. Attackers holding page privileges for services_acb.php, uploadconfig.php, diag_confbak.php, or diag_backup.php can install a chosen config.xml to gain root-level code execution after reload or reboot."
    }
  ],
  "affected": [
    {
      "source": "[email protected]",
      "affectedData": [
        {
          "vendor": "Netgate",
          "product": "pfSense CE",
          "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
          "collectionURL": "https://github.com",
          "repo": "https://github.com/pfsense/pfsense",
          "packageURL": "pkg:github/pfsense/pfsense",
          "versions": [
            {
              "version": "0",
              "lessThanOrEqual": "2.9.0",
              "versionType": "semver",
              "status": "affected"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "metrics": {
    "cvssMetricV40": [
      {
        "source": "[email protected]",
        "type": "Secondary",
        "cvssData": {
          "version": "4.0",
          "vectorString": "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/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",
          "baseScore": 8.6,
          "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
          "attackVector": "NETWORK",
          "attackComplexity": "LOW",
          "attackRequirements": "NONE",
          "privilegesRequired": "HIGH",
          "userInteraction": "NONE",
          "vulnConfidentialityImpact": "HIGH",
          "vulnIntegrityImpact": "HIGH",
          "vulnAvailabilityImpact": "HIGH",
          "subConfidentialityImpact": "NONE",
          "subIntegrityImpact": "NONE",
          "subAvailabilityImpact": "NONE",
          "exploitMaturity": "NOT_DEFINED",
          "confidentialityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED",
          "integrityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED",
          "availabilityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED",
          "modifiedAttackVector": "NOT_DEFINED",
          "modifiedAttackComplexity": "NOT_DEFINED",
          "modifiedAttackRequirements": "NOT_DEFINED",
          "modifiedPrivilegesRequired": "NOT_DEFINED",
          "modifiedUserInteraction": "NOT_DEFINED",
          "modifiedVulnConfidentialityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED",
          "modifiedVulnIntegrityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED",
          "modifiedVulnAvailabilityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED",
          "modifiedSubConfidentialityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED",
          "modifiedSubIntegrityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED",
          "modifiedSubAvailabilityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED",
          "Safety": "NOT_DEFINED",
          "Automatable": "NOT_DEFINED",
          "Recovery": "NOT_DEFINED",
          "valueDensity": "NOT_DEFINED",
          "vulnerabilityResponseEffort": "NOT_DEFINED",
          "providerUrgency": "NOT_DEFINED"
        }
      }
    ],
    "cvssMetricV31": [
      {
        "source": "[email protected]",
        "type": "Secondary",
        "cvssData": {
          "version": "3.1",
          "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
          "baseScore": 7.2,
          "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
          "attackVector": "NETWORK",
          "attackComplexity": "LOW",
          "privilegesRequired": "HIGH",
          "userInteraction": "NONE",
          "scope": "UNCHANGED",
          "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH",
          "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
          "availabilityImpact": "HIGH"
        },
        "exploitabilityScore": 1.2,
        "impactScore": 5.9
      }
    ],
    "ssvcV203": [
      {
        "source": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
        "ssvcData": {
          "timestamp": "2026-10-26T15:06:13.987919Z",
          "id": "CVE-2026-111231",
          "options": [
            {
              "exploitation": "poc"
            },
            {
              "automatable": "no"
            },
            {
              "technicalImpact": "total"
            }
          ],
          "role": "CISA Coordinator",
          "version": "2.0.3"
        }
      }
    ]
  },
  "weaknesses": [
    {
      "source": "[email protected]",
      "type": "Secondary",
      "description": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "CWE-863"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "configurations": [
    {
      "nodes": [
        {
          "operator": "OR",
          "negate": false,
          "cpeMatch": [
            {
              "vulnerable": true,
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:pfsense:pfsense:*:*:*:*:community:*:*:*",
              "versionEndIncluding": "2.9.0",
              "matchCriteriaId": "ACC83500-4384-43A6-90F9-86FF7808BD18"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "references": [
    {
      "url": "https://abraxaslabs.tech/research/pfsense-ce-leftovers",
      "source": "[email protected]",
      "tags": [
        "Issue Tracking"
      ]
    },
    {
      "url": "https://github.com/abraxas/pfsense-config-readonly-restore",
      "source": "[email protected]",
      "tags": [
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ]
    },
    {
      "url": "https://github.com/pfsense/pfsense/blob/9363ac5b8651a1c7a333180425ce7719070f95f9/src/etc/inc/config.lib.inc#L588-L597",
      "source": "[email protected]",
      "tags": [
        "Product"
      ]
    },
    {
      "url": "https://github.com/pfsense/pfsense/blob/9363ac5b8651a1c7a333180425ce7719070f95f9/src/etc/inc/config.lib.inc#L743-L798",
      "source": "[email protected]",
      "tags": [
        "Product"
      ]
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/netgate-pfsense-ce-through-2.9.0-authorization-bypass-via-config-restore-and-config-install",
      "source": "[email protected]",
      "tags": [
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ]
    }
  ]
}