CVE-2026-87016 open-webui CVE debrief

Who should care

Defenders responsible for Open WebUI deployments, especially those using SQLite, should assess their exposure and prioritize upgrading to version 0.11.1 or applying compensating controls. Security teams and administrators of self-hosted AI platforms should verify their configurations and monitor for potential unauthorized session activity.

Why it matters

CVE-2026-87016 allows an attacker to potentially issue a session for an administrator account in Open WebUI deployments using SQLite. Defenders should verify exposure, prioritize upgrading to version 0.11.1, and monitor for unauthorized activity.

• Potential unauthorized session issuance to administrator accounts
• Possible lateral movement or privilege escalation
• Required verification of Open WebUI deployment versions and configurations
• Necessity to apply compensating controls for unpatched deployments

Technical summary

The get_user_by_oauth_sub and get_user_by_scim_external_id functions in Open WebUI's users.py file used JSON containing matching that compiled to SQL LIKE substring matching on SQLite. This allowed an OAuth subject with percent or underscore wildcard characters to potentially resolve to a different stored identity, including an administrator account. This could result in an attacker being issued a session for that administrator account. The vulnerability was fixed in version 0.11.1, and PostgreSQL deployments were not affected.

Defensive priority

Defenders should prioritize verifying exposure in Open WebUI deployments, especially those using SQLite, and upgrade to version 0.11.1 or apply compensating controls to prevent unauthorized session issuance.

Recommended defensive actions

• Verify Open WebUI deployment version and check if using SQLite
• Upgrade to version 0.11.1 or apply compensating controls
• Monitor for unauthorized session activity
• Review OAuth subject configurations for potential vulnerabilities
• Perform asset inventory of Open WebUI deployments
• Review change management windows for applying patches
• Track and verify compensating controls for exposed systems

Evidence notes

The CVE record and NVD entry provide details on the vulnerability, including its description, CVSS score, and affected versions. GitHub references provide additional context on the fix and affected code.

Sources and references

Methodology and review provenance

AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.