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CVE-2026-53988 – Authentication Bypass Leading to Unauthorized Redeployment / Potential RCE – Dockha

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Summary

CVE-2026-53988 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability (CWE-306: Missing Authentication for Critical Function) affecting Dockhand, a Docker management dashboard developed by Finsys. The flaw resides in a null webhook secret guard condition on Dockhand’s git webhook endpoints, allowing unauthenticated attackers to trigger unauthorized stack redeployments. Publicly disclosed on September 29, 2026, the issue carries a CVSS score as high as 10.0 (v3.1) and 9.2 (v4.0), and can lead to denial of service or, when combined with write access to the tracked git branch, container escape and full host compromise.

Technical details

  • Root cause: Dockhand’s git webhook endpoints fail to properly validate a configured webhook secret — when no secret is set, the authentication check is effectively bypassed (a "null webhook secret guard condition"), allowing requests to be treated as authenticated.
  • Trigger conditions: The vulnerability is exploitable whenever a Dockhand instance has git-based stacks configured without a properly enforced webhook secret.
  • Attack vector: Network-based and unauthenticated (AV:N, PR:N, UI:N). An attacker can enumerate sequential stack IDs and send unsigned webhook requests directly to the exposed Dockhand endpoint, with no credentials or user interaction required.
  • Impact: Successful exploitation forces unauthorized git clone and docker compose operations, enabling stack redeployment without authorization. This can be used for denial of service by disrupting running stacks, and — if the attacker also has write access to the tracked git branch — to inject a malicious docker-compose.yml file containing privileged bind mounts, resulting in container escape and full host compromise.

Affected software

  • Dockhand (Finsys) — all versions prior to 1.0.40

Severity

  • CVSS v3.1: 10.0 (Critical) — AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
  • CVSS v4.0: 9.2 (Critical) — AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H

Mitigation and recommended actions

  • Immediate: Upgrade Dockhand to version 1.0.40 or later, where git stack webhooks now require a properly configured secret to authenticate incoming requests.
  • If unable to patch immediately:
    • Configure and enforce a strong webhook secret for all git-based stacks and confirm the application rejects requests lacking a valid signature.
    • Restrict network exposure of Dockhand’s webhook endpoints (e.g., place behind a firewall, VPN, or IP allowlist) to prevent unauthenticated internet-facing access.
    • Restrict write access to git branches tracked by Dockhand stacks to trusted users only, to reduce the risk of the combined container-escape scenario.
    • Avoid configuring stacks with privileged bind mounts where possible, and review existing docker-compose.yml definitions for unnecessary privilege.

References

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