CVE-2026-44848: Portainer missing authorization on Docker plugin endpoints, which allows host RCE

Should you act?

Critical, preconditions apply

Severe if exploited, but exploitation needs conditions that may not apply to you. This signal is computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS data; it is not an editorial verdict.

• Not in CISA KEV, but CISA’s SSVC assessment records a public proof-of-concept, so attack code exists.
• EPSS 0.4%, percentile 38: FIRST’s model estimates a 0.4% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 38% of all scored CVEs (low). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
• Needs an account (low (any account)). Exposure depends on who can log in.
• Only applies if your dependency tree includes github.com/portainer/portainer (Go) >= 2.33.0, < 2.33.8, fixed in 2.33.8; github.com/portainer/portainer (Go) >= 2.39.0, < 2.39.2, fixed in 2.39.2; github.com/portainer/portainer (Go) >= 2.40.0, < 2.41.0, fixed in 2.41.0. Check your lockfile, including transitive dependencies.

What it is

Portainer Community Edition is a lightweight service delivery platform for containerized applications that can be used to manage Docker, Swarm, Kubernetes and ACI environments. From 2.33.0 to before 2.33.8, 2.39.2, and 2.41.0, The Docker plugin management endpoints (/plugins/) were not registered with a handler, so standard users with endpoint access could call privileged plugin operations — including installing and enabling plugins — directly against the underlying Docker daemon. The vulnerability is exposed when a non-admin Portainer user (Standard User role, or any role granted endpoint-level access) has been given access to a Docker endpoint via Portainer RBAC. This vulnerability is fixed in 2.33.8, 2.39.2, and 2.41.0.

From the GitHub advisory

Summary

Portainer enforces Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) on top of the Docker API. The proxy layer routes incoming Docker API requests to per-resource handlers (containers, images, services, volumes, etc.) that apply authorization checks.

The Docker plugin management endpoints (/plugins/) were not registered with a handler, so standard users with endpoint access could call privileged plugin operations — including installing and enabling plugins — directly against the underlying Docker daemon.

The vulnerability is exposed when a non-admin Portainer user (Standard User role, or any role granted endpoint-level access) has been given access to a Docker endpoint via Portainer RBAC. Administrators and users without Docker endpoint access are not affected.

A regular user with access to a Docker endpoint can:

Weakness type: CWE-862.

Product: github.com/portainer/portainer (Go) · Assigned by: GitHub_M · Published: 2026-05-28

Affected and fixed versions

Severity scores

• Attack vector: network (remotely reachable)
• Attack complexity: low
• Attack requirements: none
• Privileges required: low (any account)
• User interaction: none

CVSS measures how bad a flaw is if exploited, not how likely exploitation is. Read it next to the exploitation data below.

Exploitation and urgency

• CISA KEV: not listed (no confirmed in-the-wild exploitation known to CISA).
• CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation poc, automatable no, technical impact total.
• FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 0.45% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 38.

Timeline

• 2026-05-14 — GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-rrmm-9v76-h3p4 published (critical)
• 2026-05-28 — CVE record published by GitHub_M
• 2026-06-01 — CVE record last updated

Sources and references

Original sources first. Version and fix details should always be confirmed against the vendor or project advisory.

Vulnerability records

1. GitHub Advisory GHSA-rrmm-9v76-h3p4 github.com
2. CVE.org record CVE-2026-44848 cve.org
3. NVD entry CVE-2026-44848 nvd.nist.gov

Other references from the CVE record and advisory

1. github.com github.com
2. github.com github.com
3. github.com github.com
4. github.com github.com

Critical Go advisories · Today’s Security Digest