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Nautobot: REST API permits creation of GenericForeignKey references to objects that the user should not be able to reference

Moderate severity GitHub Reviewed Published May 8, 2026 in nautobot/nautobot • Updated Jun 9, 2026

Package

pip nautobot (pip)

Affected versions

>= 3.0.0a2, < 3.1.2
< 2.4.33

Patched versions

3.1.2
2.4.33

Description

Impact

In the case of inter-object references via GenericForeignKey (a pattern allowing an object to reference another object that may belong to one of several different "content types" or database tables), when creating or updating an object containing a GenericForeignKey, Nautobot's REST API failed to enforce user "view" permissions when determining whether a given reference to another object would be valid.

As a concrete example, a user:

  • who has permission to create or update ImageAttachment records
  • but who lacks permission to view (some or all) Device records
  • but who knows (via some other mechanism) the UUID of a specific Device that they do not otherwise have access to

could create via the REST API an ImageAttachment linked to that specific Device.

Other models that use GenericForeignKey and may be writable via the REST API, and hence have a similar vulnerability to ImageAttachment, may include:

  • ApprovalWorkflow
  • Cable
  • ConfigContext
  • ContactAssociation
  • DataCompliance
  • Device
  • ExportTemplate
  • GraphQLQuery
  • Note
  • ObjectMetadata
  • RelationshipAssociation
  • StaticGroupAssociation
  • VirtualMachine

Additionally, any Nautobot Apps that provide models with a REST API and use GenericForeignKey may have a similar vulnerability for their models.

Patches

A general-purpose fix has been implemented in Nautobot 2.4.33 and 3.1.2, which ensures correct application of "view" permissions when creating or modifying object references via GenericForeignKey throughout the REST API. Individual models/views/serializers generally will not require any specific code changes to benefit from this fix.

Workarounds

No known workarounds at this time.

References

References

@glennmatthews glennmatthews published to nautobot/nautobot May 8, 2026
Published to the GitHub Advisory Database May 13, 2026
Reviewed May 13, 2026
Published by the National Vulnerability Database May 28, 2026
Last updated Jun 9, 2026

Severity

Moderate

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
Low
Availability
None

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector: More severe the more the remote (logically and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerability.
Attack complexity: More severe for the least complex attacks.
Privileges required: More severe if no privileges are required.
User interaction: More severe when no user interaction is required.
Scope: More severe when a scope change occurs, e.g. one vulnerable component impacts resources in components beyond its security scope.
Confidentiality: More severe when loss of data confidentiality is highest, measuring the level of data access available to an unauthorized user.
Integrity: More severe when loss of data integrity is the highest, measuring the consequence of data modification possible by an unauthorized user.
Availability: More severe when the loss of impacted component availability is highest.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N

EPSS score

Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS)

This score estimates the probability of this vulnerability being exploited within the next 30 days. Data provided by FIRST.
(7th percentile)

Weaknesses

Missing Authorization

The product does not perform an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action. Learn more on MITRE.

CVE ID

CVE-2026-44794

GHSA ID

GHSA-wpxj-44w3-2j6x

Source code

Credits

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