# CVE-2026-126539: Directus before 12.1.0 Authorization Bypass via Public WebSocket REST Interface

Status: published. Published: 2026-11-11. Updated: 2026-11-12.

Directus before 12.1.0 contains an authorization bypass vulnerability that allows unauthenticated attackers to skip permission checks by sending a failed auth message on public-mode WebSocket connections. Attackers can send an invalid token so handleAuthRequest sets accountability to null, then read, create, update or delete records in any user-defined collection.

## Remediation

- fix: The reporting source identifies this reference as a patch. Check the advisory for affected versions and supported release branches. (source: CNA: VulnCheck) — https://github.com/directus/directus/commit/8d4cd86783bcbf5444eaf290e8dcecb33929300e

## Affected products and versions

- directus / directus (directus): ≥ 0; < 12.1.0 (affected, semver). Source: CNA: VulnCheck

## Severity and prioritization

- CVSS 4.0: 9.2 (critical); CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N; source: CNA: VulnCheck

- CVSS 3.1: 8.1 (high); CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H; source: CNA: VulnCheck

- CVSS 4.0: 9.2 (critical); CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X; source: NVD: disclosure@vulncheck.com

- CVSS 3.1: 8.1 (high); CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H; source: NVD: disclosure@vulncheck.com

- CISA KEV: No listing in collected sources

- EPSS: 0.46% as of 2026-11-12; percentile 40.64%

- SSVC: exploitation none; automatable no; technical impact total; source ADP: CISA-ADP

- Weaknesses: CWE-636

## Exploit evidence

No exploit evidence in collected sources. This is not proof of no exploitation.

## References

- https://github.com/directus/directus/security/advisories/GHSA-97xr-jchp-xm3c (CNA: VulnCheck; vendor-advisory)

- https://github.com/directus/directus/commit/8d4cd86783bcbf5444eaf290e8dcecb33929300e (CNA: VulnCheck; patch)

- https://github.com/directus/directus/releases/tag/v12.1.0 (CNA: VulnCheck; release-notes)

- https://github.com/directus/directus/blob/v12.0.2/api/src/websocket/controllers/base.ts#L381-L397 (CNA: VulnCheck; technical-description)

- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/directus-before-12.1.0-authorization-bypass-via-public-websocket-rest-interface (CNA: VulnCheck; third-party-advisory)

- https://github.com/directus/directus/blob/v12.0.2/api/src/websocket/controllers/base.ts#L381-L397 (disclosure@vulncheck.com)

- https://github.com/directus/directus/commit/8d4cd86783bcbf5444eaf290e8dcecb33929300e (disclosure@vulncheck.com)

- https://github.com/directus/directus/releases/tag/v12.1.0 (disclosure@vulncheck.com)

- https://github.com/directus/directus/security/advisories/GHSA-97xr-jchp-xm3c (disclosure@vulncheck.com)

- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/directus-before-12.1.0-authorization-bypass-via-public-websocket-rest-interface (disclosure@vulncheck.com)

## Provenance

- CNA: VulnCheck: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-126539; retrieved 2026-11-12; source updated 2026-11-12

- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-126539; retrieved 2026-11-11; source updated 2026-11-11

- FIRST EPSS: https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-126539; retrieved 2026-11-12; source updated Not reported

Revision: b85b02f10fae5be173f081a6a04992158edac28f5053286ca92a03919032c592

Canonical: https://y2.dev/cve/CVE-2026-126539

## Agent and API access

Public CVE pages, Markdown, and JSON are free to read without an account or API key.

- Public catalog: https://y2.dev/cve/index.json. Follow nextCursor with the same search, filters, sort, and limit (1–100). A null cursor marks the end.

- WebMCP: search_cve_disclosures, get_cve_disclosure, get_cve_page_markdown, get_y2_cve_access. Available in compatible browsers.

- Cyber API: https://api.y2.dev/api/v2/cyber/cves and https://api.y2.dev/api/v2/cyber/cves/{cveId}.

- Y2 Pro or Elite: create a workspace API key with the intel:cyber scope and send Authorization: Bearer <Y2_API_KEY>. Setup: https://y2.dev/docs/api/create-key.

- x402: Pay per request without an account or API key. Omit Authorization, read the HTTP 402 PAYMENT-REQUIRED challenge, validate its current requirements, and retry with PAYMENT-SIGNATURE through an authorized payment client. These browser tools never make payments. Guide: https://y2.dev/docs/api/x402.

- OpenAPI: https://y2.dev/api/openapi.yaml. Agent access metadata: https://y2.dev/cve/agent.json.

Collected public records only. Check source status for coverage and freshness.