# CVE-2026-44888: Pi.Alert unauthenticated RCE via config file injection in SaveConfigFile

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-44888-pi-alert-unauthenticated-rce-via-config-file-injection-in  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-05-27. Updated: 2026-05-27  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-44888 · Severity: critical · CVSS 9.8 · Published 2026-05-27

Pi.Alert is a network security tool used to detect intruders on Wi-Fi and local networks. A vulnerability in its configuration management allows an attacker to take complete control of the device without needing any login credentials. By sending a specially crafted request to the device's web interface, an attacker can execute malicious commands, potentially leading to data theft, network surveillance, or a total system takeover.

Technologies: [Leiweibau Pi.Alert](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/pi-alert). Vendors: [Leiweibau](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/leiweibau).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-44888 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-44888 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-44888?** Critical severity, with a CVSS score of 9.8, published 27 May 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Leiweibau Pi.Alert Prior to 2026-05-07.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-44888?** A patch was published on 2026-05-07: Vulnerability fixed in version released on this date. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-44888 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a network appliance.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-44888?** Check whether you run Leiweibau Pi.Alert 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

A code injection vulnerability exists in Pi.Alert's `SaveConfigFile()` endpoint within `front/php/server/files.php`. The application fails to validate or sanitize numeric configuration parameters (such as `SMTP_PORT`, `REPORT_MQTT_PORT`, or `AUTO_DB_BACKUP_KEEP`) before writing them to `pialert.conf`. Because the background cron process executes `pialert.py`, which loads this configuration file using Python's `exec()` function every 3–5 minutes, an attacker can inject arbitrary Python code. On default installations where `PIALERT_WEB_PROTECTION` is disabled, this can be exploited over the network without authentication to achieve OS-level Remote Code Execution (RCE) as the user running the service (often root). The issue was addressed in the 2026-05-07 update.

## Affected products

- leiweibau Pi.Alert Prior to 2026-05-07

## Timeline

- 2026-05-07: patched: Vulnerability fixed in version released on this date.
- 2026-05-08: advisory: GitHub Security Advisory published.
- 2026-05-27: disclosed: CVE-2026-44888 published to NVD.

## References

- [https://github.com/leiweibau/Pi.Alert/security/advisories/GHSA-xg85-f8qw-7c5f](https://github.com/leiweibau/Pi.Alert/security/advisories/GHSA-xg85-f8qw-7c5f)

## Related threats

- [Pi.Alert Python code injection in configuration editor](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-44887-pi-alert-python-code-injection-in-configuration-editor)
- [Pi.Alert unauthenticated SQL injection in devices.php](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-44886-pi-alert-unauthenticated-sql-injection-in-devices-php)