---
id: CVE-2026-52824
title: Kimai is an open-source time tracking application
summary: >-
  Kimai is an open-source time tracking application. Prior to 2.58.0, the
  official Docker image sets APP_SECRET to the public value
  change_this_to_something_unique in Dockerfile, and .docker/entrypoint.sh
  neither replaces nor rejects that …
severity: critical
cvss: 9.1
cvssVector: 'CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N'
cwe:
  - CWE-1188
vendor: kimai
product: kimai
affected:
  - kimai < 2.58.0
patched:
  - kimai/kimai 2.58.0
published: '2026-09-15'
updated: '2026-09-16'
sourceUpdated: '2026-09-16T18:17:09.763'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-52824'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/kimai/kimai/commit/31a8f887a5cda517db7b4320a7ad997c87d08601
    label: security-advisories@github.com
  - url: 'https://github.com/kimai/kimai/pull/5952'
    label: security-advisories@github.com
  - url: 'https://github.com/kimai/kimai/releases/tag/2.58.0'
    label: security-advisories@github.com
  - url: 'https://github.com/kimai/kimai/security/advisories/GHSA-jr9p-4h4j-6c58'
    label: security-advisories@github.com
  - url: 'https://www.kimai.org/en/security/ghsa-jr9p-4h4j-6c58'
    label: security-advisories@github.com
  - url: 'https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-jr9p-4h4j-6c58'
tags:
  - nvd
  - exploit-available
  - cve.org
  - ghsa
  - composer
epss: 0.02062
epssPercentile: 0.80501
exploits:
  github: 1
  githubRepos:
    - 'https://github.com/AzureADTrent/CVE-2026-52824'
  nuclei:
    - CVE-2026-52824
  checkedAt: '2026-09-23T07:14:13.090Z'
exploitAvailable: true
aliases:
  - GHSA-jr9p-4h4j-6c58
ecosystem: composer
ssvc:
  exploitation: none
  automatable: 'no'
  technicalImpact: total
  timestamp: '2026-09-16T17:32:52.166965Z'
cvssSource: cna
ingestedAt: '2026-07-14T00:31:48.484Z'
---

## Overview

Kimai is an open-source time tracking application. Prior to 2.58.0, the official Docker image sets APP_SECRET to the public value change_this_to_something_unique in Dockerfile, and .docker/entrypoint.sh neither replaces nor rejects that value before Symfony uses it as kernel.secret. An unauthenticated attacker who reaches a deployment that did not override APP_SECRET, knows a username, correctly guesses the account ID associated with that username, and targets an account without active two-factor authentication can forge HMAC-protected authentication artifacts, including KIMAI_REMEMBER cookies and login links, to access the account without its password. The updated entrypoint generates and persists a random secret when no safe operator-provided value exists. This issue is fixed in version 2.58.0.

## Remediation

Refer to the linked advisories for vendor-supplied fixes and affected version ranges.

## Package advisory (CVE-2026-52824)

Affected packages:

- `kimai/kimai <= 2.57.0`

Patched in:

- `kimai/kimai 2.58.0`

Source: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-jr9p-4h4j-6c58