CVE-2026-34048 in Coolify
Summary
by MITRE • 07/07/2026
Coolify is an open-source and self-hostable tool for managing servers, applications, and databases. Prior to 4.0.0-beta.471, terminal websocket bootstrap routes only check authentication and do not enforce terminal authorization, allowing a low-privileged team member to connect to terminal routes and execute commands on team servers. This issue is fixed in version 4.0.0-beta.471.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/07/2026
The vulnerability identified in Coolify versions prior to 4.0.0-beta.471 represents a critical authorization flaw that undermines the security posture of self-hosted infrastructure management platforms. This issue specifically affects the terminal websocket bootstrap routes which are designed to provide remote access capabilities to team servers through a web-based interface. The flaw manifests as a missing authorization check in the authentication flow, where only initial authentication verification occurs but proper terminal access authorization is not enforced. This creates a scenario where any authenticated user within the system can potentially escalate their privileges by connecting to terminal routes and executing arbitrary commands on team servers without proper authorization controls.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper access control enforcement within the websocket connection handling logic. When users establish terminal connections through the Coolify interface, the system should validate not only that the user has authenticated successfully but also that they possess the necessary permissions to execute terminal commands on specific servers or applications. However, the flawed implementation only validates authentication tokens and ignores authorization policies, allowing unauthorized command execution. This represents a classic authorization bypass vulnerability that can be categorized under CWE-285, which deals with improper authorization in software systems. The issue directly impacts the principle of least privilege by permitting low-privileged users to perform actions typically restricted to administrators or authorized personnel.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations relying on Coolify for server management and application deployment. A malicious or compromised low-privileged team member could exploit this flaw to execute commands such as reading sensitive configuration files, accessing database contents, modifying application code, or even escalating privileges further within the system. The impact extends beyond simple command execution as it allows potential data exfiltration, service disruption, and unauthorized access to critical infrastructure components managed through the Coolify platform. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 which covers command and scripting interpreter, and T1566 which addresses credential harvesting through social engineering. The attack surface is particularly concerning in environments where multiple team members have varying levels of system access but should not all have terminal execution privileges.
The remediation approach for this vulnerability required implementing proper authorization checks within the websocket bootstrap routes to ensure that only users with appropriate permissions can establish terminal connections and execute commands on target servers. This fix involved strengthening the authorization validation logic to verify user permissions against specific terminal access policies before allowing connection establishment. Organizations should ensure they upgrade to version 4.0.0-beta.471 or later to remediate this vulnerability, while also conducting thorough security assessments of their existing Coolify deployments. Additional mitigations may include implementing network segmentation to restrict access to terminal interfaces, monitoring websocket connections for unusual activity patterns, and establishing robust audit trails for terminal command execution. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of enforcing proper authorization controls in distributed systems where users may have varying levels of access privileges.