CVE-2026-71863

SecureDrop: Onion Service client auth credentials copied to Monitor Server

Published Nov 6, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 2.6 Low EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
SecureDrop is an open-source whistleblower submission system that media organizations can use to securely accept documents from, and communicate with anonymous sources. From 2.13.0 until 2.16.1, running the securedrop-admin install Ansible playbook with journalist alerts disabled leaves the journalist alert key filename empty, causing the copy task to transfer every file in ~/.config/securedrop-admin/, including Onion Service client authentication credentials, to the Monitor Server. An attacker must first compromise the privileged Monitor Server to obtain the credentials, and the credentials remain an additional protection layer rather than sufficient access by themselves because the Journalist Interface still requires a username, passphrase, and MFA, while SSH access still requires SSH keys. This issue is fixed in version 2.16.1.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

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History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Freedomofpress
Freedomofpress securedrop
Vendors & Products Freedomofpress
Freedomofpress securedrop
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description SecureDrop is an open-source whistleblower submission system that media organizations can use to securely accept documents from, and communicate with anonymous sources. From 2.13.0 until 2.16.1, running the securedrop-admin install Ansible playbook with journalist alerts disabled leaves the journalist alert key filename empty, causing the copy task to transfer every file in ~/.config/securedrop-admin/, including Onion Service client authentication credentials, to the Monitor Server. An attacker must first compromise the privileged Monitor Server to obtain the credentials, and the credentials remain an additional protection layer rather than sufficient access by themselves because the Journalist Interface still requires a username, passphrase, and MFA, while SSH access still requires SSH keys. This issue is fixed in version 2.16.1.
Title SecureDrop: Onion Service client auth credentials copied to Monitor Server
Weaknesses CWE-201
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 2.6, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:N/A:N'}

Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
GitHub_M
Published
Updated
Nov 10, 2026, 8:13 PM
Reserved
Aug 7, 2026, 6:26 PM
Status
Deferred
Published
Nov 6, 2026, 9:17 PM
Modified
Nov 12, 2026, 10:18 PM