CVE-2026-103244 in ground-station
Summary
by MITRE • 10/01/2026
ground-station versions before 0.8.0 contain an authentication bypass vulnerability in the setup.restore command that allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary SQL during first-run setup mode. Attackers can invoke setup.restore via Socket.IO to plant admin users and forged session tokens, then authenticate as administrator without credentials for complete application takeover.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/01/2026
The ground-station software prior to version 0.8.0 contains a critical authentication bypass vulnerability within the setup.restore command interface. This flaw specifically impacts systems operating in first-run setup mode, where initial configuration and administrative account creation are typically performed. The vulnerability stems from an insufficient access control mechanism that fails to enforce mandatory authentication checks on this specific endpoint during the initialization phase. Consequently, any actor with network connectivity to the service can interact with the Socket.IO interface without providing valid credentials or session tokens. This lack of enforcement allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary SQL statements against the underlying database through the restore functionality, effectively bypassing standard security boundaries designed to protect administrative functions.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves leveraging the Socket.IO communication protocol to invoke the setup.restore command directly. By injecting malicious payloads into this request, an attacker can perform SQL injection attacks that manipulate the application's data layer. The primary objective in such scenarios is typically privilege escalation and persistence. Attackers utilize these capabilities to insert new administrative user accounts with elevated privileges or to forge valid session tokens that mimic legitimate administrator sessions. Once these forged credentials are established, the attacker gains full control over the ground-station system without needing any prior knowledge of existing passwords or security keys. This represents a complete compromise of the application's integrity and confidentiality, as the attacker can modify configurations, exfiltrate sensitive data, or install further malicious components under the guise of an authorized administrator.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses severe risks to the infrastructure relying on ground-station software for mission-critical operations. The ability to take over administrative access without authentication means that any network-exposed instance running a vulnerable version is immediately susceptible to total compromise. In environments where ground stations manage satellite communications or telemetry data, such a breach could lead to unauthorized command injection into spacecraft systems, disruption of communication links, and theft of proprietary operational data. Furthermore, the persistence achieved through forged session tokens allows attackers to maintain long-term access even if initial entry points are discovered and closed by security teams. This undermines trust in the system's ability to secure critical aerospace or IoT infrastructure against remote exploitation attempts.
To mitigate this vulnerability, organizations must immediately upgrade ground-station instances to version 0.8.0 or later, where these authentication checks have been properly implemented for the setup.restore command. For systems that cannot be upgraded instantly due to operational constraints, temporary mitigations should include restricting network access to the Socket.IO endpoint via firewall rules, ensuring it is not exposed to untrusted networks during initial configuration phases. Additionally, implementing strict input validation and parameterized queries on all database interactions can help prevent SQL injection attempts, although upgrading remains the definitive solution. Security teams should also audit existing installations for signs of compromise, such as unexpected administrative accounts or anomalous session tokens, given that this vulnerability allows for silent persistence mechanisms to be established by attackers who have previously exploited it.
This incident aligns with Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) identifiers including CWE-287 Improper Authentication and CWE-89 SQL Injection. The exploitation technique maps closely to MITRE ATT&CK techniques such as T1078 Valid Accounts, specifically the sub-technique of forging credentials or creating new accounts for persistence. Understanding these mappings helps in categorizing the risk within broader threat intelligence frameworks and ensures that defensive strategies address both the immediate technical flaw and the strategic implications of unauthorized administrative access.