CVE-2026-49229 in Actual
Summary
by MITRE • 07/08/2026
Actual is a local-first personal finance app. Prior to 26.6.0, in OpenID multi-user mode, disabling a user only blocks future OpenID login for that identity, while existing Actual session tokens for the disabled user remain valid. The shared session validation path accepts any existing token row that has not expired without checking whether the associated user is still enabled, allowing a disabled user to continue calling authenticated server endpoints. This issue is fixed in version 26.6.0.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/08/2026
The vulnerability identified in Actual's OpenID multi-user mode represents a critical session management flaw that undermines the application's authentication controls and user access governance. This weakness exists specifically within the shared session validation mechanism where the system fails to perform proper user state verification during token validation processes. The flaw allows an attacker with access to a valid session token to maintain unauthorized access even after the associated user account has been disabled through administrative controls.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from a missing validation check in the session token processing pipeline. When users are disabled within the OpenID multi-user environment, the system correctly prevents new authentication attempts but fails to invalidate existing active sessions that were established prior to the disablement action. This creates a persistent security gap where disabled users can continue executing authenticated operations against the server endpoints without proper authorization. The root cause lies in the session validation logic not cross-referencing token records with current user status information, effectively treating all non-expired tokens as valid regardless of their associated user's enabled/disabled state.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to financial data integrity and access control within personal finance applications where multiple users may share a single instance. The impact extends beyond simple unauthorized access to include potential data manipulation, viewing of sensitive financial information belonging to other users, and possible audit trail corruption. Attackers could exploit this weakness by maintaining their session tokens after a user has been disabled, potentially gaining continued access to financial records, transaction histories, and other sensitive personal finance data that should no longer be accessible to the disabled account.
The security implications align with common vulnerability classifications such as CWE-613, which addresses insufficient session expiration, and relates to broader authentication and authorization control issues. This flaw also intersects with ATT&CK techniques under TA0006 Credential Access and TA0004 Privilege Escalation, as it allows attackers to maintain elevated access through compromised session tokens. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic case of improper privilege management where user state transitions are not properly enforced across all authentication pathways within the application.
Organizations using Actual should implement immediate mitigations including thorough review of their existing session token validity periods and implementation of more robust session invalidation processes. System administrators should consider implementing automated session cleanup procedures that regularly validate user status against active tokens, ensuring that disabled users cannot maintain persistent access to server resources. Additionally, organizations should establish monitoring protocols to detect anomalous access patterns that might indicate compromised sessions or unauthorized continued access following user disablement actions. The fix implemented in version 26.6.0 addresses this by enhancing the session validation process to include explicit user status checks before granting access to authenticated endpoints, thereby closing the security gap that allowed disabled users to continue operating within the system.