Unauthenticated API access via guest JWT acceptance
Published Jul 15, 2026 · Updated Jul 15, 2026
Authentication bypass in Data Intelligence Lab @ HKU LightRAG before 1.5.4 allows remote attackers to access protected server APIs. In API-key-only deployments, auth.py uses a hardcoded JWT secret while combined_dependency accepts a guest token before checking X-API-Key. With LIGHTRAG_API_KEY set and AUTH_ACCOUNTS unset, this grants unauthenticated document read, upload, deletion, graph mutation, and query access.
Summary
What happened
Authentication bypass in Data Intelligence Lab @ HKU LightRAG before 1.5.4 allows remote attackers to access protected server APIs. In API-key-only deployments, auth.py uses a hardcoded JWT secret while combined_dependency accepts a guest token before checking X-API-Key. With LIGHTRAG_API_KEY set and AUTH_ACCOUNTS unset, this grants unauthenticated document read, upload, deletion, graph mutation, and query access.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-61740
- Published
- Jul 15, 2026
- Updated
- Jul 15, 2026
- Vendor
- Data Intelligence Lab @ HKU
- Product
- LightRAG
- Classifications
- CWE-287, CWE-798, T1190
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jul 15, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jul 15, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=< 1.5.4
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- GHSA-f4vv-55c2-5789 guest JWT proof of conceptfunctional · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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