# CVE-2026-44551: Open WebUI LDAP authentication bypass via empty password

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-44551-open-webui-ldap-authentication-bypass-via-empty-password  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-05-15. Updated: 2026-05-16  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-44551 · Severity: critical · CVSS 9.1 · Published 2026-05-15

Open WebUI is an interface for interacting with large language models. A vulnerability in its LDAP authentication module allows attackers to log into any user account, including administrator accounts, by providing a valid username and an empty password. This could lead to full account takeover, unauthorized access to private chats, and exposure of sensitive API keys or configuration data.

Technologies: [open-webui (PyPI)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/open-webui). Vendors: [PyPI](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/pypi).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-44551 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-44551 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-44551?** Critical severity, with a CVSS score of 9.1, published 15 May 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** open-webui (PyPI) <= 0.8.12, ECOSYSTEM:introduced=0,fixed=0.9.0.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-44551?** Yes. open-webui (PyPI): upgrade to 0.9.0 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-44551 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a network appliance.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-44551?** Check whether you run open-webui (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.

## How to fix

- open-webui (PyPI): upgrade to 0.9.0 or later

  ```sh
  pip install "open-webui>=0.9.0"
  ```


## Technical details

The LDAP authentication endpoint in Open WebUI fails to validate that the submitted password is non-empty before attempting a Simple Bind against the LDAP server. According to RFC 4513, a Simple Bind with a valid Distinguished Name (DN) and an empty password is treated as 'unauthenticated simple authentication,' which many LDAP servers (like OpenLDAP and some Active Directory configurations) treat as a successful bind. The LdapForm Pydantic model lacks a min_length constraint on the password field, allowing the empty string to reach the backend/open_webui/routers/auths.py logic. If the bind succeeds, the application issues a valid session token for the target user. This is exploitable if ENABLE_LDAP is true and the underlying LDAP server allows unauthenticated binds.

## Affected products

- Open WebUI Open WebUI <= 0.8.12

## Identifiers

- CVE-2026-44551
- GHSA-2r4p-jpmg-48f4
- PYSEC-2026-435

## Timeline

- 2026-05-05: disclosed: Vulnerability reported to GitHub Advisory Database
- 2026-05-08: advisory: GHSA-2r4p-jpmg-48f4 published
- 2026-05-08: patched: Fixed in version 0.9.0

## References

- [https://api.github.com/users/Classic298](https://api.github.com/users/Classic298)
- [https://github.com/Classic298](https://github.com/Classic298)
- [https://api.github.com/users/Classic298/gists%7B/gist_id%7D](https://api.github.com/users/Classic298/gists%7B/gist_id%7D)
- [https://api.github.com/users/Classic298/repos](https://api.github.com/users/Classic298/repos)
- [https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/27028174?v=4](https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/27028174?v=4)
- [https://api.github.com/users/Classic298/events%7B/privacy%7D](https://api.github.com/users/Classic298/events%7B/privacy%7D)

## Related threats

- [Open WebUI OAuth token exchange authorization bypass](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-88006-open-webui-oauth-token-exchange-authorization-bypass)
- [Open WebUI OAuth token exchange authorization bypass](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-88005-open-webui-oauth-token-exchange-authorization-bypass)
- [Open WebUI infinite loop denial of service in chat history reconstruction](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-88002-open-webui-infinite-loop-denial-of-service-in-chat-history)
- [Open WebUI server-side request forgery via unvalidated HTTP redirects](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-88001-open-webui-server-side-request-forgery-via-unvalidated-http)
- [Open WebUI denial of service via cyclic chat tree message deletion](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-88000-open-webui-denial-of-service-via-cyclic-chat-tree-message)