---
id: "CVE-2026-116747"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-116747"]
title: "Kener: hardcoded fallback key lets attackers forge admin session cookies"
severity: "critical"
cvss: 9.2
epss: null
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "package"
products: []
ecosystems: []
tags: ["kener", "node", "package", "self-hosted", "status-page"]
not_affected_if: ["fixed-version", "managed-hosting", "secret-key-set"]
published_at: "2026-10-26T22:16:59+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-26T22:25:34+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-26T22:27:31+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-116747", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-26T22:25:34+00:00"}]
---

# Kener: hardcoded fallback key lets attackers forge admin session cookies

Kener 3.0.0 before 4.1.10 falls back to a hardcoded DUMMY_SECRET signing key when KENER_SECRET_KEY is empty or unset. An unauthenticated attacker who knows an administrator's email can sign a kener-user cookie and reach /manage/api with full admin rights, or forge password-reset tokens.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## How to check

- Check whether `KENER_SECRET_KEY` is set and non-empty in the Kener environment (for example in the Docker compose file, `.env`, or the host's environment).
- Check the installed Kener version: it is affected if it is `3.0.0` up to but not including `4.1.10`.

## Fix

- Upgrade Kener to `4.1.10` or later.
- Set `KENER_SECRET_KEY` to a long random value, and rotate any sessions or reset tokens issued while it was empty.

## Timeline

- 2026-10-26T22:25:34+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-116747

## From the sources

Kener 3.0.0 before 4.1.10 contains an authentication bypass vulnerability that allows unauthenticated attackers to forge session tokens by using the hardcoded DUMMY_SECRET fallback key. When KENER_SECRET_KEY is empty or unset, attackers knowing an administrator email can sign a kener-user cookie to access /manage/api with full administrative privileges or forge password-reset tokens.

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_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_