---
title: "CVE-2026-120442: ape-volo-admin - Authentication Bypass"
description: "ape-volo-admin < 3.6.1 contains an authentication bypass caused by a hardcoded JWT signing key in appsettings.json, letting unauthenticated attackers forge administrator tokens and gain full API control, exploit requires knowledge of the hardcoded key."
url: https://panop.io/threat-heartbeat/CVE-2026-120442/
---

# CVE-2026-120442 ape-volo-admin - Authentication Bypass

ape-volo-admin < 3.6.1 contains an authentication bypass caused by a hardcoded JWT signing key in appsettings.json, letting unauthenticated attackers forge administrator tokens and gain full API control, exploit requires knowledge of the hardcoded key.

CVSS base score 9.8 /10

Critical

CISA KEV

Not listed

Public exploit

None known

[View the NVD record ↗](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-120442)

## Details

Type

Authentication Bypass

Impact

Broken Authentication

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Published

2 November 2026

Updated

3 November 2026

Weakness

[CWE-1394](https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/1394.html)

## Vendor fix

Upgrade to version 3.6.1 or later.

Patching closes this CVE. It does not tell you which of your systems run the affected version, or what else is exposed alongside them.

## References

- [https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-120442](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-120442)
- [https://github.com/xianhc/ape-volo-admin/releases/tag/V3.6.1](https://github.com/xianhc/ape-volo-admin/releases/tag/V3.6.1)
- [https://hackmd.io/@hieuPenguinnn/ape-volo-admin-hardcoded-jwt-secret-admin-token-forgery](https://hackmd.io/@hieuPenguinnn/ape-volo-admin-hardcoded-jwt-secret-admin-token-forgery)
- [https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/ape-volo-admin-before-3.6.1-hardcoded-jwt-signing-key-authentication-bypass](https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/ape-volo-admin-before-3.6.1-hardcoded-jwt-signing-key-authentication-bypass)
- [https://github.com/xianhc/ape-volo-admin/blob/V3.5.2/Ape.Volo.Api/appsettings.json#L4-L10](https://github.com/xianhc/ape-volo-admin/blob/V3.5.2/Ape.Volo.Api/appsettings.json#L4-L10)
- [https://github.com/xianhc/ape-volo-admin/blob/V3.5.2/Ape.Volo.Infrastructure/Authentication/PermissionHandler.cs#L130-L172](https://github.com/xianhc/ape-volo-admin/blob/V3.5.2/Ape.Volo.Infrastructure/Authentication/PermissionHandler.cs#L130-L172)
- [https://github.com/xianhc/ape-volo-admin/blob/V3.5.2/Ape.Volo.Infrastructure/Extensions/AuthorizationExtensions.cs#L50-L60](https://github.com/xianhc/ape-volo-admin/blob/V3.5.2/Ape.Volo.Infrastructure/Extensions/AuthorizationExtensions.cs#L50-L60)
- [https://github.com/xianhc/ape-volo-admin/commit/938f7ec58047f0c63123dc155d6a033910f00933](https://github.com/xianhc/ape-volo-admin/commit/938f7ec58047f0c63123dc155d6a033910f00933)
- [https://github.com/xianhc/ape-volo-admin/issues/36](https://github.com/xianhc/ape-volo-admin/issues/36)

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## What this record can't tell you

- Whether you run the affected software, and where
- Whether an attacker can actually reach and exploit it
- The misconfigurations that never get a CVE number
- What it would cost the business, ranked into what to fix first

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