pyLoad has an authentication bypass in API key validation (check_apikey cache)

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS

8.1 · CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS

No dated EPSS signal available.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Summary The API-key cache in checkapikey() allows an attacker to authenticate with a forged API key as long as the legitimate key for the same keyid has been used recently. On a cache hit, the API key secret is never verified, resulting in a complete authentication bypass during the cache lifetime. --- Affected Components - src/pyload/core/api/init.py - Api.checkapikey() - src/pyload/core/database/apikeydatabase.py - checkapikey() - checkkey() The cache is used by normal API requests through: - src/pyload/webui/app/helpers.py which calls: without providing a ttl, meaning the default 300-second cache is always enabled. --- Root Cause Successful API key validations are cached in: using the following structure: The cache key is based only on keyid, and that value is parsed directly from the user-supplied API key rather than being obtained from a trusted lookup. When a cache hit occurs within the TTL, checkapikey() returns: after checking only: - expiresat At no point on this execution…

Published by the source

9 Oct 2026, 16:43 UTC

Last modified by the source

9 Oct 2026, 16:43 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 13:55 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-r44w-v6gf-x3p6

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# Patch Next advisory brief: GHSA-r44w-v6gf-x3p6

Advisory: pyLoad has an authentication bypass in API key validation (check_apikey cache)
IDs: GHSA-r44w-v6gf-x3p6
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/ghsa-r44w-v6gf-x3p6 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 13:55 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: High (CVSS 8.1)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: pyload-ng 0.5.0b3.dev101. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- PyPI pyload-ng: affected < 0.5.0b3.dev101; fixed in 0.5.0b3.dev101

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- `python -m pip show pyload-ng`: prints the installed version. Run with the environment that serves production active.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on pyload-ng.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-r44w-v6gf-x3p6 (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-r44w-v6gf-x3p6 lists affected ranges: PyPI pyload-ng >=0 <0.5.0b3.dev101)

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