CVE-2026-61745 in InvenTree
Summary
by MITRE • 09/21/2026
InvenTree is an Open Source Inventory Management System. Prior to 1.4.0, the POST /api/machine/{pk}/restart/ endpoint in src/backend/InvenTree/machine/api.py uses IsAuthenticatedOrReadScope without requiring the ADMIN role used by other machine management operations. Any authenticated user who lacks the ADMIN role, including a warehouse user with only the STOCK role, can cause MachineRestart to invoke registry.restart_machine() for any registered machine, resetting its status and interrupting active printing, scanning, or other machine operations. This issue is fixed in version 1.4.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/21/2026
The vulnerability identified in InvenTree versions prior to 1.4.0 represents a critical authorization bypass within the application's API layer, specifically affecting the machine management subsystem. InvenTree serves as an open-source inventory management system that integrates with various hardware devices for automated operations such as printing and scanning. The core of this flaw lies in the implementation of access control policies on the POST /api/machine/{pk}/restart/ endpoint located within src/backend/InvenTree/machine/api.py. This specific API entry point is designed to trigger a restart sequence for registered machines, an operation that inherently carries significant operational risk due to its potential to interrupt ongoing processes and reset device states.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from the incorrect assignment of permission classes during the development of the endpoint logic. The developers utilized the IsAuthenticatedOrReadScope permission class instead of a stricter administrative-only policy. In typical role-based access control models, machine restarts are considered high-privilege actions that should be restricted to administrators who have full oversight and responsibility for system stability. However, by relying on authentication or read scope validation rather than explicit admin verification, the application failed to enforce the necessary separation of duties. This misconfiguration allows any user possessing a valid authentication token with at least basic inventory access rights to invoke this endpoint.
The operational impact of this flaw is substantial and directly affects business continuity within environments utilizing InvenTree for automated workflows. An authenticated user with limited privileges, such as a warehouse worker assigned only the STOCK role, can exploit this vulnerability to restart any registered machine in the system without authorization. The execution of MachineRestart invokes registry.restart_machine(), which forcibly resets the status of the target device. This action abruptly terminates active operations including barcode scanning sequences, label printing jobs, and other automated tasks dependent on continuous machine availability. Such interruptions can lead to data loss, physical waste from interrupted print runs, and significant downtime in warehouse logistics or manufacturing processes where real-time inventory tracking is critical.
From a classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-269, which denotes Improper Privilege Management, as the application fails to enforce appropriate access control levels for sensitive administrative functions. Furthermore, it maps directly to MITRE ATT&CK technique T1078, specifically Valid Accounts and potentially T1499 if considered under Endpoint Denial of Service due to the disruption of active services. The ability of a low-privileged user to perform actions reserved for administrators undermines the integrity of the security model and exposes the organization to both operational disruptions and potential lateral movement if such restarts are used as part of a broader attack chain to obscure malicious activity or trigger further system instabilities.
Mitigation strategies must prioritize immediate version upgrades alongside robust access control reviews. The primary remediation is upgrading InvenTree to version 1.4.0 or later, where the developers have corrected the permission class assignment for this endpoint to require explicit administrative privileges. Organizations should also conduct a comprehensive audit of their API endpoints to ensure that all state-changing operations adhere strictly to role-based access control principles, ensuring that only users with verified admin roles can execute commands affecting system stability. Additionally implementing strict logging and monitoring on machine restart events can help detect any unauthorized attempts or successful exploits in environments where immediate patching is not feasible.