# CVE-2026-12772: BerriAI LiteLLM insufficient session expiration in Admin UI login

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-12772-berriai-litellm-insufficient-session-expiration-in-admin-ui-login  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-06-21. Updated: 2026-09-25  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-12772 · Severity: medium · CVSS 6.3 · Published 2026-06-21

LiteLLM is a proxy service that manages API key authentication and session management for language model deployments. A flaw in the admin login flow generates permanent database API keys and embeds them unencrypted in session cookies, allowing attackers who intercept a login cookie to extract a standalone admin credential that persists long after the session ends. Additionally, the system fails to expire previous keys, causing them to accumulate indefinitely.

Technologies: [Berriai LiteLLM](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/litellm), [litellm (PyPI)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/pypi-litellm). Vendors: [Berriai](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/berriai), [PyPI](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/pypi).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-12772 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-12772 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-12772?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 6.3, published 21 June 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Berriai LiteLLM <= 1.82.2; litellm (PyPI) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=0,last_affected=1.82.2.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-12772?** No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.

**How is CVE-2026-12772 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-12772?** Check whether you run Berriai LiteLLM or litellm (PyPI) at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Technical details

The vulnerability exists in litellm/proxy/auth/login_utils.py within the authenticate_user() function. During admin and user login, the code calls generate_key_helper_fn() to create a permanent PROXY_ADMIN database API key (sk-...), embeds it unencrypted in the JWT cookie payload under the "key" field, and fails to expire previous keys. An attacker can intercept the login JWT, decode it without a secret (base64), extract the embedded database key, and use it as a standalone bearer token with full admin privileges—independent of the JWT session expiration. This is a session management regression: the previous expire_previous_ui_session_tokens() function was removed during a JWT migration. No patch has been released as of the advisory date; the vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 1.82.2.

## Affected products

- BerriAI LiteLLM <= 1.82.2

## Identifiers

- CVE-2026-12772
- GHSA-mf52-j94g-746m
- PYSEC-2026-4073

## Timeline

- 2026-06-21: disclosed
- other: Exploit proof-of-concept released publicly

## References

- [https://gist.github.com/YLChen-007/39ed709ce322431658a05b951e91f278](https://gist.github.com/YLChen-007/39ed709ce322431658a05b951e91f278)
- [https://vuldb.com/cve/CVE-2026-12772](https://vuldb.com/cve/CVE-2026-12772)
- [https://vuldb.com/submit/811281](https://vuldb.com/submit/811281)
- [https://vuldb.com/vuln/372514](https://vuldb.com/vuln/372514)
- [https://vuldb.com/vuln/372514/cti](https://vuldb.com/vuln/372514/cti)

## Related threats

- [LiteLLM arbitrary local file read via vertex_ai_credentials](https://junglewise.ai/threats/litellm-internal-user-viewer-arbitrary-local-file-read-via-vertex-ai-649a7475)
- [LiteLLM reflected XSS in SSO debug callback endpoint](https://junglewise.ai/threats/litellm-vulnerable-to-reflected-xss-in-sso-debug-callback-38154651)
- [LiteLLM proxy authentication bypass via reused crypto context](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-114612-litellm-is-a-proxy-server-ai-gateway-to-call-llm-apis-in-openai)
- [BerriAI LiteLLM improper authorization in secret resolution](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-108575-a-vulnerability-has-been-found-in-berriai-litellm-up-to-1-94-0)
- [BerriAI LiteLLM authorization bypass in spend tracking](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-108574-a-flaw-has-been-found-in-berriai-litellm-up-to-1-95-0-affected)