CVE-2026-114391 in ZenTao PMS
Summary
by MITRE • 10/22/2026
ZenTao PMS before 22.3 contains an authorization bypass vulnerability in commonModel::isOpenMethod() that lets logged-in users skip group-based ACL checks for any method containing 'ajax'. Minimal-privilege users can call methods like task.ajaxGetByID, system.ajaxDBAuthUrl and admin.ajaxChangeTableEngine to read data, obtain database credentials, trigger CI jobs and alter tables.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/22/2026
ZenTao Project Management Software versions prior to 22.3 contain a critical authorization bypass vulnerability located within the commonModel::isOpenMethod function. This flaw stems from an insufficient access control mechanism that fails to properly enforce group-based Access Control List checks for specific API endpoints. The root cause lies in the logic used to determine whether a method is open or accessible, which incorrectly prioritizes methods containing the string 'ajax' over standard authentication and authorization protocols. Consequently, any logged-in user can bypass these security controls by invoking functions that include ajax in their name, effectively treating them as public resources regardless of the user's assigned role or permission level within the application hierarchy.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe because it allows attackers with minimal privileges to escalate their access and interact with sensitive system components without proper authorization. Specifically, authenticated users can exploit methods such as task.ajaxGetByID to retrieve confidential project data that should be restricted based on group membership. Furthermore, the ability to call system.ajaxDBAuthUrl enables an attacker to extract database credentials from the application configuration or runtime environment. This exposure of database access details provides a direct pathway for further exploitation, including potential SQL injection attacks or unauthorized data exfiltration directly against the backend storage systems.
Beyond information disclosure and credential theft, this vulnerability facilitates more destructive actions that can compromise system integrity and availability. Attackers are able to trigger Continuous Integration jobs through admin.ajaxChangeTableEngine, which may lead to resource exhaustion or unintended code execution depending on how these CI pipelines are configured. Additionally, the capability to alter database tables allows for persistent backdoors, data manipulation, or complete denial of service by corrupting critical schema structures. These actions demonstrate a significant degradation in the confidentiality, integrity, and availability guarantees expected from enterprise project management platforms.
From a classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 Improper Access Control, specifically reflecting failures in enforcing restrictive access policies for authorized actors. It also maps to MITRE ATT&CK techniques related to Privilege Escalation via Authorization Bypass and potentially T1505 Server Software Component Injection if the CI job triggers are leveraged for persistent execution. The vulnerability highlights a common architectural flaw where convenience features like AJAX endpoints are not subjected to the same rigorous security checks as standard web pages, leading to inconsistent enforcement of identity verification across different interface layers.
Mitigation strategies must prioritize immediate patching to version 22.3 or later, which addresses this logic error by ensuring that all methods, regardless of their naming convention, undergo proper group-based ACL validation before execution. In environments where upgrading is not immediately feasible, network-level controls such as Web Application Firewalls can be configured to block requests targeting specific ajax endpoints for non-administrative users. Additionally, implementing strict input validation and enforcing principle of least privilege across all user roles will reduce the blast radius if similar vulnerabilities are discovered in other modules. Regular security audits focusing on API endpoint authorization logic are recommended to prevent recurrence of such access control failures.