CVE-2026-78204: Software Security Vulnerability Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-62c9-3hw5-37qf
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CVSS 5.4
CWE-862
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2026-78204 is a MODERATE (CVSS 5.4) security vulnerability vulnerability (CWE-862: Missing Authorization) affecting Software libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The weakness occurs when the product does not perform an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action.. Remediation is available in the latest vendor maintenance releases.

CVE-2026-78204 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2026-78204
GHSA Identifier GHSA-62c9-3hw5-37qf
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 5.4
CWE Classification CWE-862: Missing Authorization
Affected Product Software
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 5.4

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required Low (PR:L)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality Low (C:L)
Integrity Low (I:L)
Availability None (A:N)

How to Fix CVE-2026-78204

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Software dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

mvn dependency:tree

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2026-78204, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Software in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than the patched release), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree command inspects the resolved dependency graph declared in your project's POM files; it does not perform automated security scanning or inspect runtime dynamic classpaths. Always verify runtime container classpaths and shaded JARs.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-862: Missing Authorization, where the product does not perform an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action. In Software, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

Ghostwriter through 7.2.6 does not apply per-object authorization on its report template lint endpoints. RoleBasedAccessControlMixin.test_func returns only request.user.is_active unless a view overrides it, and neither the endpoint that lints a report template nor the endpoint that returns stored lint results provides an override, so each resolves a ReportTemplate from a caller-supplied primary key with no ownership or client-scope check. Any authenticated account can therefore lint an arbitrary template, which overwrites that template's stored lint result, and can read the returned findings, which enumerate the template's variable names and template-engine errors and so disclose its structure. This is distinct from the template swap path: that endpoint authorizes the report but omits the per-template check, whereas these endpoints omit authorization entirely and remain unfixed.

References

NVD — CVE-2026-78204 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-78204
Software Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/GhostManager/Ghostwriter
Software Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/GhostManager/Ghostwriter/blob/v7.2.6/ghostwriter/api/utils.py#L470-L480
Software Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/geo-chen/oss/blob/main/Ghostwriter.md
www.vulncheck.com/advisories/ghostwri... WEB
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/ghostwriter-through-missing-authorization-on-report-template-lint-endpoints

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-78204?
CVE-2026-78204 is a security vulnerability in Software classified as a security vulnerability vulnerability under CWE-862: Missing Authorization.
Which Software versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to current release patches.
What version fixes CVE-2026-78204?
Upgrading to current release patches (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-78204?
CVE-2026-78204 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.4 (MODERATE) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2026-78204?
CVE-2026-78204 is classified under CWE-862: Missing Authorization (The product does not perform an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2026-78204?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-62c9-3hw5-37qf",
  "modified" : "2026-08-24T03:31:05Z",
  "published" : "2026-08-24T03:31:05Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-78204" ],
  "details" : "Ghostwriter through 7.2.6 does not apply per-object authorization on its report template lint endpoints. RoleBasedAccessControlMixin.test_func returns only request.user.is_active unless a view overrides it, and neither the endpoint that lints a report template nor the endpoint that returns stored lint results provides an override, so each resolves a ReportTemplate from a caller-supplied primary key with no ownership or client-scope check. Any authenticated account can therefore lint an arbitrary template, which overwrites that template's stored lint result, and can read the returned findings, which enumerate the template's variable names and template-engine errors and so disclose its structure. This is distinct from the template swap path: that endpoint authorizes the report but omits the per-template check, whereas these endpoints omit authorization entirely and remain unfixed.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N"
  }, {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:N/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"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-78204"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/GhostManager/Ghostwriter"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/GhostManager/Ghostwriter/blob/v7.2.6/ghostwriter/api/utils.py#L470-L480"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/geo-chen/oss/blob/main/Ghostwriter.md"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/ghostwriter-through-missing-authorization-on-report-template-lint-endpoints"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-862" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : false,
    "github_reviewed_at" : null,
    "nvd_published_at" : "2026-08-24T01:16:57Z"
  }
}