CVE-2026-31852
Improper Privilege Management in Jellyfin is an open-source media system
Executive Summary
CVE-2026-31852 is a critical severity vulnerability affecting appsec. It is classified as CWE-269. Ensure your systems and dependencies are patched immediately to mitigate exposure risks.
Precogs AI Insight
"Jellyfin contains a vulnerability (e.g., Server-Side Request Forgery or Path Traversal). Attackers exploit insecure API endpoints to access internal network resources or read sensitive configuration files from the media server. Precogs API Security Engine intercepts unconstrained outbound HTTP requests."
What is this vulnerability?
CVE-2026-31852 is categorized as a critical Improper Privilege Management flaw with a CVSS base score of 10. Based on our vulnerability intelligence, this issue occurs when the application fails to securely handle untrusted data boundaries.
Jellyfin is an open-source media system. The code-quality.yml GitHub Actions workflow in jellyfin/jellyfin-ios is vulnerable to arbitrary code execution via pull requests from forked repositories. Due to the workflow's elevated permissions (nearly all write permissions), this vulnerability enables full repository takeover of jellyfin/jellyfin-ios, exfiltration of highly privileged secrets, Apple App Store supply chain attack, GitHub Container Registry (ghcr.io) package poisoning, and full jellyfin organization compromise via cross-repository token usage. Note: This is not a code vulnerability, but a vulnerability in the GitHub Actions workflows. No new version is required for this GHSA and end users do not need to take any actions.
This architectural defect enables adversaries to bypass intended security controls, directly manipulating the application's execution state or data layer. Immediate strategic intervention is required.
Risk Assessment
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| CVSS Base Score | 10 (CRITICAL) |
| Vector String | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| Published | March 11, 2026 |
| Last Modified | March 20, 2026 |
| Related CWEs | CWE-269 |
Impact on Systems
✅ Data Exfiltration: Attackers can extract sensitive data from backend databases, configuration files, or internal services.
✅ Authentication Bypass: Exploiting this flaw may allow unauthorized access to protected resources and administrative interfaces.
✅ Lateral Movement: Once initial access is gained, attackers can pivot to internal systems and escalate privileges.
How to Fix and Mitigate CVE-2026-31852
- Apply Vendor Patches: Upgrade affected components to their latest, non-vulnerable versions immediately.
- Implement Input Validation: Ensure all user-supplied data is validated, sanitized, and type-checked before processing.
- Deploy Runtime Protection: Use Precogs continuous monitoring to detect exploitation attempts in real time.
- Audit Dependencies: Review and update all third-party libraries and transitive dependencies.
Defending with Precogs AI
Jellyfin contains a vulnerability (e.g., Server-Side Request Forgery or Path Traversal). Attackers exploit insecure API endpoints to access internal network resources or read sensitive configuration files from the media server. Precogs API Security Engine intercepts unconstrained outbound HTTP requests.
Use Precogs to continuously scan your codebase, binaries, APIs, and infrastructure for this vulnerability class and related attack patterns. Our AI-powered detection engine combines static analysis with threat intelligence to identify exploitable weaknesses before attackers do.
Vulnerability Code Signature
Attack Data Flow
| Stage | Detail |
|---|---|
| Source | Untrusted User Input |
| Vector | Input flows through the application logic without sanitization |
| Sink | Execution or Rendering Sink |
| Impact | Application compromise, Logic Bypass, Data Exfiltration |
Vulnerable Code Pattern
# ❌ VULNERABLE: Unsanitized Input Flow
def process_request(request):
user_input = request.GET.get('data')
# Taint sink: processing untrusted data
execute_logic(user_input)
return {"status": "success"}
Secure Code Pattern
# ✅ SECURE: Input Validation & Sanitization
def process_request(request):
user_input = request.GET.get('data')
# Sanitized boundary check
if not is_valid_format(user_input):
raise ValueError("Invalid input format")
sanitized_data = sanitize(user_input)
execute_logic(sanitized_data)
return {"status": "success"}
How Precogs Detects This
Precogs AI Analysis Engine maps untrusted input directly to execution sinks to catch complex application security vulnerabilities.\n