CVE-2026-44563: Open webui Open WebUI's Ollama Model Access Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-rcvp-6fgw-c7fh
CVSS 5.4
CWE-862
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2026-44563 is a MODERATE (CVSS 5.4) open webui's ollama model access vulnerability (CWE-862: Missing Authorization) affecting Open webui libraries in the PyPI ecosystem. The issue involves open webui's ollama model access control bypass via /api/generate, /api/embed, /api/embeddings, and /api/show. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 0.9.0.

CVE-2026-44563 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2026-44563
GHSA Identifier GHSA-rcvp-6fgw-c7fh
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 5.4
CWE Classification CWE-862: Missing Authorization
Affected Product Open webui
Package Ecosystem PyPI
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:N/A:L).

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 None (I:N)
Availability Low (A:L)

How to Fix CVE-2026-44563

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

open-webui fixed: 0.9.0
pip install open-webui>=0.9.0
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

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

pip show open-webui

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Python environment is affected by CVE-2026-44563, inspect your installed packages using pip:

pip show open-webui

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Open webui in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 0.9.0), your application is affected.

Note: The pip show open-webui command checks currently installed packages in your active Python environment.

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 Open webui, 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

# Ollama Model Access Control Bypass via /api/generate, /api/embed, /api/embeddings, and /api/show ## Affected Component Ollama proxy endpoints missing model access control: - `backend/open_webui/routers/ollama.py` (lines 955-995, `generate_completion`) - `backend/open_webui/routers/ollama.py` (lines 835-881, `embed`) - `backend/open_webui/routers/ollama.py` (lines 891-937, `embeddings`) - `backend/open_webui/routers/ollama.py` (lines 791-820, `show_model_info`) ## Affected Versions Current main branch (commit `6fdd19bf1`) and likely all versions with Ollama model access control support. ## Description Four Ollama proxy endpoints accept any model name from the user and forward the request to the Ollama backend without checking whether the user is authorized to access that model. These endpoints only require `get_verified_user` (any authenticated non-pending user) and validate that the model exists in the full unfiltered model list, but never check `AccessGrants.has_access()`. This is in direct contrast with the `/ollama/api/chat` endpoint (line 1101-1122) which correctly validates model access grants and returns 403 for unauthorized users: ```python # /api/chat (line 1101-1122) — CORRECTLY checks access if not bypass_filter and user.role == 'user': user_group_ids = {group.id for group in Groups.get_groups_by_member_id(user.id)} if not ( user.id == model_info.user_id or AccessGrants.has_access( user_id=user.id, resource_type='model', resource_id=model_info.id, permission='read', user_group_ids=user_group_ids, ) ): raise HTTPException(status_code=403, detail='Model not found') # /api/generate (line 955-995) — NO access check at all # /api/embed (line 835-881) — NO access check at all # /api/embeddings (line 891-937) — NO access check at all # /api/show (line 791-820) — NO access check at all ``` ## CVSS 3.1 Breakdown | Metric | Value | Rationale | |--------|-------|-----------| | Attack Vector | Network (N) | Exploited remotely via API calls | | Attack Complexity | Low (L) | Single API call with a known model name | | Privileges Required | Low (L) | Requires any authenticated user account | | User Interaction | None (N) | No victim interaction required | | Scope | Unchanged (U) | Impact within the Ollama model access boundary | | Confidentiality | Low (L) | `/api/show` exposes restricted model details including system prompts and parameters | | Integrity | None (N) | No data modification | | Availability | Low (L) | Unauthorized consumption of GPU/compute resources on restricted models | ## Attack Scenario 1. Admin configures model access control, restricting `llama3:70b` to the "ML Engineers" group. Regular user Alice is only authorized for `llama3:8b`. 2. Alice knows the restricted model name (model names are predictable — `llama3:70b`, `mistral:latest`, etc.). 3. Alice calls the unprotected endpoints directly: ```bash # Run completions on restricted model curl -X POST /ollama/api/generate \ -H "Authorization: Bearer <alice_token>" \ -d '{"model": "llama3:70b", "prompt": "..."}' # View restricted model details and system prompt curl -X POST /ollama/api/show \ -H "Authorization: Bearer <alice_token>" \ -d '{"model": "llama3:70b"}' # Generate embeddings with restricted model curl -X POST /ollama/api/embed \ -H "Authorization: Bearer <alice_token>" \ -d '{"model": "llama3:70b", "input": "..."}' ``` 4. All requests succeed and are proxied to Ollama without any access control check. ## Impact - Model access control is silently ineffective for four out of five Ollama proxy endpoints - Unauthorized users can consume GPU/compute resources on restricted models (cost and capacity impact in multi-user deployments) - `/api/show` exposes restricted model configurations including system prompts, parameters, templates, and license information - Admins have a false sense of security — access restrictions appear to work via the main chat interface but are trivially bypassed via direct API calls ## Preconditions - Ollama must be configured as a backend - Admin must have configured model access control (not using `BYPASS_MODEL_ACCESS_CONTROL=true`) - Attacker must know the restricted model name (model names follow predictable conventions)

CVE-2026-44563 Affected Open webui Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
0.9.0
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
open-webui
PyPI
< 0.9.0
0.9.0

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-44563?
CVE-2026-44563 is a security vulnerability in Open webui involving Open WebUI's Ollama Model Access Control Bypass via /api/generate, /api/embed, /api/embeddings, and /api/show under CWE-862: Missing Authorization.
Which Open webui versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 0.9.0 across affected packages: open-webui.
What version fixes CVE-2026-44563?
Upgrading to 0.9.0 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is open-webui affected?
Yes, open-webui is affected in releases prior to 0.9.0. Upgrade your dependency to 0.9.0 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-44563?
CVE-2026-44563 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:N/A:L.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2026-44563?
CVE-2026-44563 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 PyPI dependencies for CVE-2026-44563?
Run the dependency tree command: 'pip show open-webui'. 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
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-rcvp-6fgw-c7fh",
  "modified" : "2026-05-15T23:53:14Z",
  "published" : "2026-05-08T19:52:42Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-44563" ],
  "summary" : "Open WebUI's Ollama Model Access Control Bypass via /api/generate, /api/embed, /api/embeddings, and /api/show",
  "details" : "# Ollama Model Access Control Bypass via /api/generate, /api/embed, /api/embeddings, and /api/show\n\n## Affected Component\n\nOllama proxy endpoints missing model access control:\n- `backend/open_webui/routers/ollama.py` (lines 955-995, `generate_completion`)\n- `backend/open_webui/routers/ollama.py` (lines 835-881, `embed`)\n- `backend/open_webui/routers/ollama.py` (lines 891-937, `embeddings`)\n- `backend/open_webui/routers/ollama.py` (lines 791-820, `show_model_info`)\n\n## Affected Versions\n\nCurrent main branch (commit `6fdd19bf1`) and likely all versions with Ollama model access control support.\n\n## Description\n\nFour Ollama proxy endpoints accept any model name from the user and forward the request to the Ollama backend without checking whether the user is authorized to access that model. These endpoints only require `get_verified_user` (any authenticated non-pending user) and validate that the model exists in the full unfiltered model list, but never check `AccessGrants.has_access()`.\n\nThis is in direct contrast with the `/ollama/api/chat` endpoint (line 1101-1122) which correctly validates model access grants and returns 403 for unauthorized users:\n\n```python\n# /api/chat (line 1101-1122) — CORRECTLY checks access\nif not bypass_filter and user.role == 'user':\n    user_group_ids = {group.id for group in Groups.get_groups_by_member_id(user.id)}\n    if not (\n        user.id == model_info.user_id\n        or AccessGrants.has_access(\n            user_id=user.id, resource_type='model',\n            resource_id=model_info.id, permission='read',\n            user_group_ids=user_group_ids,\n        )\n    ):\n        raise HTTPException(status_code=403, detail='Model not found')\n\n# /api/generate (line 955-995) — NO access check at all\n# /api/embed (line 835-881) — NO access check at all\n# /api/embeddings (line 891-937) — NO access check at all\n# /api/show (line 791-820) — NO access check at all\n```\n\n## CVSS 3.1 Breakdown\n\n| Metric | Value | Rationale |\n|--------|-------|-----------|\n| Attack Vector | Network (N) | Exploited remotely via API calls |\n| Attack Complexity | Low (L) | Single API call with a known model name |\n| Privileges Required | Low (L) | Requires any authenticated user account |\n| User Interaction | None (N) | No victim interaction required |\n| Scope | Unchanged (U) | Impact within the Ollama model access boundary |\n| Confidentiality | Low (L) | `/api/show` exposes restricted model details including system prompts and parameters |\n| Integrity | None (N) | No data modification |\n| Availability | Low (L) | Unauthorized consumption of GPU/compute resources on restricted models |\n\n## Attack Scenario\n\n1. Admin configures model access control, restricting `llama3:70b` to the \"ML Engineers\" group. Regular user Alice is only authorized for `llama3:8b`.\n2. Alice knows the restricted model name (model names are predictable — `llama3:70b`, `mistral:latest`, etc.).\n3. Alice calls the unprotected endpoints directly:\n   ```bash\n   # Run completions on restricted model\n   curl -X POST /ollama/api/generate \\\n     -H \"Authorization: Bearer <alice_token>\" \\\n     -d '{\"model\": \"llama3:70b\", \"prompt\": \"...\"}'\n\n   # View restricted model details and system prompt\n   curl -X POST /ollama/api/show \\\n     -H \"Authorization: Bearer <alice_token>\" \\\n     -d '{\"model\": \"llama3:70b\"}'\n\n   # Generate embeddings with restricted model\n   curl -X POST /ollama/api/embed \\\n     -H \"Authorization: Bearer <alice_token>\" \\\n     -d '{\"model\": \"llama3:70b\", \"input\": \"...\"}'\n   ```\n4. All requests succeed and are proxied to Ollama without any access control check.\n\n## Impact\n\n- Model access control is silently ineffective for four out of five Ollama proxy endpoints\n- Unauthorized users can consume GPU/compute resources on restricted models (cost and capacity impact in multi-user deployments)\n- `/api/show` exposes restricted model configurations including system prompts, parameters, templates, and license information\n- Admins have a false sense of security — access restrictions appear to work via the main chat interface but are trivially bypassed via direct API calls\n\n## Preconditions\n\n- Ollama must be configured as a backend\n- Admin must have configured model access control (not using `BYPASS_MODEL_ACCESS_CONTROL=true`)\n- Attacker must know the restricted model name (model names follow predictable conventions)",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:L"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "PyPI",
      "name" : "open-webui"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "0.9.0"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 0.8.12"
    }
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/security/advisories/GHSA-rcvp-6fgw-c7fh"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-44563"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-862" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-05-08T19:52:42Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2026-05-15T20:16:48Z"
  }
}