---
id: "CVE-2026-85286"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-85286"]
title: "HomeBox: login timing lets attackers confirm registered email addresses"
severity: "low"
cvss: 3.7
epss: null
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "package"
products: []
ecosystems: []
tags: ["homebox", "login", "package", "self-hosted"]
not_affected_if: ["closed-network", "version-0.27.0-or-later"]
published_at: "2026-11-05T16:17:50+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-11-05T16:40:03+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-11-05T16:41:49+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-85286", "first_seen_at": "2026-11-05T16:40:03+00:00"}]
exploit_sources: []
---

# HomeBox: login timing lets attackers confirm registered email addresses

HomeBox, a self-hosted home inventory app, answers login attempts for unknown usernames faster than for real ones because it skips the password-hash check. An unauthenticated remote attacker can use the response timing to find which email addresses have accounts.

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

## How to check

- Check the HomeBox version in use; versions before `0.27.0` are affected.
- Look for a self-hosted HomeBox instance reachable from the internet at its login endpoint `/api/v1/users/login`.

## Fix

- Move to HomeBox `0.27.0` or later.

## Timeline

- 2026-11-05T16:40:03+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-85286

## Documents

- [advisory] Vendor advisory: github.com https://github.com/sysadminsmedia/homebox/security/advisories/GHSA-4p8r-vm9v-c9pm
- [fix] Patch: github.com https://github.com/sysadminsmedia/homebox/commit/66809ce3583cbd0b43e8f5ce30cc269a1cfe4201
- [fix] Release notes: github.com https://github.com/sysadminsmedia/homebox/releases/tag/v0.27.0

## From the sources

HomeBox is a home inventory and organization system. Prior to 0.27.0, the POST /api/v1/users/login endpoint performs password-hash verification only when the submitted username matches an existing account, while unknown usernames return immediately. Although both paths return the same 401 unauthorized response, the processing-time discrepancy allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to distinguish registered email addresses; rate limiting only reduces the number of attempts per window. This issue is fixed in version 0.27.0.

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