CVE-2026-78553

Insecure Flask Secret-Key File Permissions Allow Local Administrator Session Forgery in RansomLook

Published Aug 24, 2026 CVSS 4.0 · 7 High EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
RansomLook created its Flask session-signing key without explicitly restricting the file permissions. The secret_key file was created using the process's default permissions and umask, resulting in permissions such as 0644 under a common 022 umask. Consequently, other local users able to access the RansomLook home directory could read the application's cryptographic secret.


The exposed key is security-critical because it is used to sign Flask session cookies and is also involved in the legacy API-key key derivation. An attacker who obtains the key can generate valid session cookies and impersonate an authenticated user, including an administrator. In LDAP configurations, exploitation may be particularly straightforward because the session user loader does not require the supplied username to correspond to an existing local user.


Successful exploitation requires local access sufficient to read the improperly protected file, but can result in complete compromise of RansomLook's authentication and authorization controls.


The patch creates new secret-key files atomically with permissions 0600 and also restricts permissions on existing key files during application startup.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

No advisories available
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 Ransomlook
Ransomlook ransomlook
Vendors & Products Ransomlook
Ransomlook ransomlook
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description RansomLook created its Flask session-signing key without explicitly restricting the file permissions. The secret_key file was created using the process's default permissions and umask, resulting in permissions such as 0644 under a common 022 umask. Consequently, other local users able to access the RansomLook home directory could read the application's cryptographic secret. The exposed key is security-critical because it is used to sign Flask session cookies and is also involved in the legacy API-key key derivation. An attacker who obtains the key can generate valid session cookies and impersonate an authenticated user, including an administrator. In LDAP configurations, exploitation may be particularly straightforward because the session user loader does not require the supplied username to correspond to an existing local user. Successful exploitation requires local access sufficient to read the improperly protected file, but can result in complete compromise of RansomLook's authentication and authorization controls. The patch creates new secret-key files atomically with permissions 0600 and also restricts permissions on existing key files during application startup.
Title Insecure Flask Secret-Key File Permissions Allow Local Administrator Session Forgery in RansomLook
Weaknesses CWE-276
CWE-732
References
Metrics cvssV4_0

{'score': 7, 'vector': 'CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N'}

Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
CIRCL
Published
Updated
Aug 24, 2026, 8:07 PM
Reserved
Aug 24, 2026, 7:28 PM
Status
Deferred
Published
Aug 24, 2026, 8:17 PM
Modified
Oct 12, 2026, 9:10 PM