vulnerability / NVI-00002741 / Revision 2
Poweradmin: API user-update endpoint leads to a non-admin reset any user's password and take over the superuser account
GitHub lists this reviewed advisory for poweradmin/poweradmin, poweradmin/poweradmin. Published version ranges and source prerequisites are shown below; this is not an inspection of a visitor’s application.
This report has not inspected your inventory, configuration, deployed build, reachability or evidence. A catalog listing and a severity score do not establish exposure or compromise.
01 / Meaning
Why it matters
Published affected context helps an owner decide what evidence to gather. This report has not examined your application.
8.8 high
GitHub source severity; exploitability and local consequence require separate evidence.
As of · GitHub Advisory Database
02 / Applicability
The affected context
Affected versions, configuration prerequisites and known exclusions are public. Confirm each one against the deployed service.
poweradmin/poweradmin
source listed>= 4.0.0, < 4.2.5
### Summary The REST API user-update endpoint (`PUT/PATCH /api/v2/users/{id}` and the V1 equivalent) does not enforce two authorization rules that the web interface enforces. A user who holds the `user_edit_others` permission but is not a superuser can: 1. edit user accounts that belong to a superuser, and 2. set the password of any account, even without the `user_passwd_edit_others` permission. Because of this, a non-admin "user manager" role can send a single API request that changes the administrator's password, then log in as the administrator. This is a full privilege escalation and account takeover. The same actions are explicitly blocked in the web UI, so the API is inconsistent with the application's own permission model. ### Details Poweradmin's permission model treats these as three distinct permissions: - `user_edit_others` (id 57): "User is allowed to edit other users." - `user_passwd_edit_others` (id 58): "User is allowed to edit the password of other users." - `user_is_ueberuser` (id 53): full admin. The existence of a separate `user_passwd_edit_others` permission means that "edit other users" is not supposed to include changing their passwords. The web UI enfo
poweradmin/poweradmin
source listed>= 4.3.0, < 4.3.4
### Summary The REST API user-update endpoint (`PUT/PATCH /api/v2/users/{id}` and the V1 equivalent) does not enforce two authorization rules that the web interface enforces. A user who holds the `user_edit_others` permission but is not a superuser can: 1. edit user accounts that belong to a superuser, and 2. set the password of any account, even without the `user_passwd_edit_others` permission. Because of this, a non-admin "user manager" role can send a single API request that changes the administrator's password, then log in as the administrator. This is a full privilege escalation and account takeover. The same actions are explicitly blocked in the web UI, so the API is inconsistent with the application's own permission model. ### Details Poweradmin's permission model treats these as three distinct permissions: - `user_edit_others` (id 57): "User is allowed to edit other users." - `user_passwd_edit_others` (id 58): "User is allowed to edit the password of other users." - `user_is_ueberuser` (id 53): full admin. The existence of a separate `user_passwd_edit_others` permission means that "edit other users" is not supposed to include changing their passwords. The web UI enfo
poweradmin/poweradmin
source listedECOSYSTEM: introduced 4.0.0; fixed 4.2.5
### Summary The REST API user-update endpoint (`PUT/PATCH /api/v2/users/{id}` and the V1 equivalent) does not enforce two authorization rules that the web interface enforces. A user who holds the `user_edit_others` permission but is not a superuser can: 1. edit user accounts that belong to a superuser, and 2. set the password of any account, even without the `user_passwd_edit_others` permission. Because of this, a non-admin "user manager" role can send a single API request that changes the administrator's password, then log in as the administrator. This is a full privilege escalation and account takeover. The same actions are explicitly blocked in the web UI, so the API is inconsistent with the application's own permission model. ### Details Poweradmin's permission model treats these as three distinct permissions: - `user_edit_others` (id 57): "User is allowed to edit other users." - `user_passwd_edit_others` (id 58): "User is allowed to edit the password of other users." - `user_is_ueberuser` (id 53): full admin. The existence of a separate `user_passwd_edit_others` permission means that "edit other users" is not supposed to include changing their passwords. The web UI enfo
poweradmin/poweradmin
source listedECOSYSTEM: introduced 4.3.0; fixed 4.3.4
### Summary The REST API user-update endpoint (`PUT/PATCH /api/v2/users/{id}` and the V1 equivalent) does not enforce two authorization rules that the web interface enforces. A user who holds the `user_edit_others` permission but is not a superuser can: 1. edit user accounts that belong to a superuser, and 2. set the password of any account, even without the `user_passwd_edit_others` permission. Because of this, a non-admin "user manager" role can send a single API request that changes the administrator's password, then log in as the administrator. This is a full privilege escalation and account takeover. The same actions are explicitly blocked in the web UI, so the API is inconsistent with the application's own permission model. ### Details Poweradmin's permission model treats these as three distinct permissions: - `user_edit_others` (id 57): "User is allowed to edit other users." - `user_passwd_edit_others` (id 58): "User is allowed to edit the password of other users." - `user_is_ueberuser` (id 53): full admin. The existence of a separate `user_passwd_edit_others` permission means that "edit other users" is not supposed to include changing their passwords. The web UI enfo
03 / Response
What to do next
- investigate
Identify the exact component and deployed version, examine the linked publisher’s conditions, and retain evidence of any mitigation.
Confirm current vendor support, compatibility and deployment evidence. This report has not tested a fix in your system. GitHub Advisory Database
- vendor patch
The original advisory lists fixed boundaries 4.2.5 for poweradmin/poweradmin. Confirm the publisher’s latest guidance.
Confirm current vendor support, compatibility and deployment evidence. This report has not tested a fix in your system. GitHub Advisory Database via OSV
- vendor patch
The original advisory lists fixed boundaries 4.3.4 for poweradmin/poweradmin. Confirm the publisher’s latest guidance.
Confirm current vendor support, compatibility and deployment evidence. This report has not tested a fix in your system. GitHub Advisory Database via OSV
A fixed release is not deployment evidence.
Check current vendor support and compatibility. After making a change, verify the deployed build and relevant runtime conditions. Keep the evidence, owner and time. An updated lockfile alone does not prove what is running.
04 / Limits
What this report cannot establish
- Customer inventory, deployment, reachability and exploitation have not been inspected.
05 / Provenance
Sources you can inspect
Each assertion retains its source. Mirrored records may repeat one underlying publisher; additional links are not independent corroboration.
- GHSA-h4hf-v6w5-897x ↗
GitHub Advisory Database · vendor advisory
Observed . GitHub Advisory Database; CC-BY-4.0. Each advisory links its original attribution. Null normalizes fields.
- GHSA-h4hf-v6w5-897x ↗
GitHub Advisory Database via OSV · vendor advisory
Observed . GitHub-origin advisory, CC-BY-4.0; OSV is an aggregate copy, not independent corroboration.
Public revision history
Only published revisions appear here. Routine fetches do not create a material-change event.
- Revision 2 ·
Source facts changed; compare the preserved prior revision.
- Revision 1 ·
First indexed by Null; source disclosure date is shown separately.