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8.1
File Browser: Users may get unintended permission to execute files
CVE-2026-35607
GHSA-7526-j432-6ppp
Summary
An older version of the File Browser software allowed newly created users to execute files even if they shouldn't have permission to do so. This has been fixed in version 2.63.1. If you're using File Browser, update to the latest version to ensure your users' permissions are properly restricted.
What to do
- Update github.com filebrowser to version 2.63.1.
Affected software
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fix available |
|---|---|---|---|
| github.com | filebrowser | <= 2.63.1 | 2.63.1 |
Original title
File Browser: Proxy auth auto-provisioned users inherit Execute permission and Commands
Original description
## Summary
The fix in commit `b6a4fb1` ("self-registered users don't get execute perms") stripped `Execute` permission and `Commands` from users created via the signup handler. The same fix was not applied to the proxy auth handler. Users auto-created on first successful proxy-auth login are granted execution capabilities from global defaults, even though the signup path was explicitly changed to prevent execution rights from being inherited by automatically provisioned accounts.
Confirmed on v2.62.2 (commit 860c19d).
## Root Cause
`auth/proxy.go` `createUser()` applies defaults without restriction:
user := &users.User{
Username: username,
Password: hashedRandomPassword,
LockPassword: true,
}
setting.Defaults.Apply(user)
// No restriction on Execute, Commands, or Admin
Compare with `http/auth.go` signup handler (lines 170-178):
d.settings.Defaults.Apply(user)
user.Perm.Admin = false
// Self-registered users should not inherit execution capabilities
// from default settings, regardless of what the administrator has
// configured as the default.
user.Perm.Execute = false
user.Commands = []string{}
The commit message for `b6a4fb1` states: "Execution rights must be explicitly granted by an admin." Users auto-created via proxy auth are also automatically provisioned (created on first login without explicit admin action), and the admin has not explicitly granted them execution rights.
## PoC
Tested on filebrowser v2.62.2, built from HEAD.
# Configure with proxy auth, default commands, and exec
filebrowser config set --auth.method=proxy --auth.header=X-Remote-User \
--commands "git,ls,cat,id"
# Login as admin and verify defaults have execute=true, commands set
ADMIN_TOKEN=$(curl -s http://HOST/api/login -H "X-Remote-User: admin")
# Auto-create new user via proxy header
PROXY_TOKEN=$(curl -s http://HOST/api/login -H "X-Remote-User: newproxyuser")
# Check permissions
curl -s http://HOST/api/users -H "X-Auth: $ADMIN_TOKEN" | jq '.[] | select(.username=="newproxyuser") | {execute: .perm.execute, commands}'
Result:
{
"execute": true,
"commands": ["git", "ls", "cat", "id"]
}
The auto-created proxy user inherited Execute and the full Commands list. A user created via signup would have `execute: false` and `commands: []`.
## Impact
In proxy-auth deployments where the admin has configured default commands, users auto-provisioned on first proxy login receive execution capabilities that were not explicitly granted. The project established a security invariant in commit `b6a4fb1`: automatically provisioned accounts must not inherit execution rights from defaults. The proxy auto-provisioning path violates that invariant.
This is an incomplete fix for GHSA-x8jc-jvqm-pm3f ("Signup Grants Execution Permissions When Default Permissions Includes Execution"), which addressed the signup handler but not the proxy auth handler.
## Preconditions
- Proxy auth enabled (`--auth.method=proxy`)
- Exec not disabled
- Default settings include non-empty Commands (admin-configured)
## Suggested Fix
Apply the same restrictions as the signup handler:
setting.Defaults.Apply(user)
user.Perm.Admin = false
user.Perm.Execute = false
user.Commands = []string{}
---
**Update:** Fix submitted as PR #5890.
The fix in commit `b6a4fb1` ("self-registered users don't get execute perms") stripped `Execute` permission and `Commands` from users created via the signup handler. The same fix was not applied to the proxy auth handler. Users auto-created on first successful proxy-auth login are granted execution capabilities from global defaults, even though the signup path was explicitly changed to prevent execution rights from being inherited by automatically provisioned accounts.
Confirmed on v2.62.2 (commit 860c19d).
## Root Cause
`auth/proxy.go` `createUser()` applies defaults without restriction:
user := &users.User{
Username: username,
Password: hashedRandomPassword,
LockPassword: true,
}
setting.Defaults.Apply(user)
// No restriction on Execute, Commands, or Admin
Compare with `http/auth.go` signup handler (lines 170-178):
d.settings.Defaults.Apply(user)
user.Perm.Admin = false
// Self-registered users should not inherit execution capabilities
// from default settings, regardless of what the administrator has
// configured as the default.
user.Perm.Execute = false
user.Commands = []string{}
The commit message for `b6a4fb1` states: "Execution rights must be explicitly granted by an admin." Users auto-created via proxy auth are also automatically provisioned (created on first login without explicit admin action), and the admin has not explicitly granted them execution rights.
## PoC
Tested on filebrowser v2.62.2, built from HEAD.
# Configure with proxy auth, default commands, and exec
filebrowser config set --auth.method=proxy --auth.header=X-Remote-User \
--commands "git,ls,cat,id"
# Login as admin and verify defaults have execute=true, commands set
ADMIN_TOKEN=$(curl -s http://HOST/api/login -H "X-Remote-User: admin")
# Auto-create new user via proxy header
PROXY_TOKEN=$(curl -s http://HOST/api/login -H "X-Remote-User: newproxyuser")
# Check permissions
curl -s http://HOST/api/users -H "X-Auth: $ADMIN_TOKEN" | jq '.[] | select(.username=="newproxyuser") | {execute: .perm.execute, commands}'
Result:
{
"execute": true,
"commands": ["git", "ls", "cat", "id"]
}
The auto-created proxy user inherited Execute and the full Commands list. A user created via signup would have `execute: false` and `commands: []`.
## Impact
In proxy-auth deployments where the admin has configured default commands, users auto-provisioned on first proxy login receive execution capabilities that were not explicitly granted. The project established a security invariant in commit `b6a4fb1`: automatically provisioned accounts must not inherit execution rights from defaults. The proxy auto-provisioning path violates that invariant.
This is an incomplete fix for GHSA-x8jc-jvqm-pm3f ("Signup Grants Execution Permissions When Default Permissions Includes Execution"), which addressed the signup handler but not the proxy auth handler.
## Preconditions
- Proxy auth enabled (`--auth.method=proxy`)
- Exec not disabled
- Default settings include non-empty Commands (admin-configured)
## Suggested Fix
Apply the same restrictions as the signup handler:
setting.Defaults.Apply(user)
user.Perm.Admin = false
user.Perm.Execute = false
user.Commands = []string{}
---
**Update:** Fix submitted as PR #5890.
nvd CVSS3.1
8.1
Vulnerability type
CWE-269
Improper Privilege Management
Published: 8 Apr 2026 · Updated: 8 Apr 2026 · First seen: 7 Apr 2026