CVE-2026-25476

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.

CVE-2026-25476 is a session expiration bypass vulnerability in OpenEMR, a free and open source electronic health records and medical practice management application. Prior to version 8.0.0, the session expiration check in `library/auth.inc.php` is skipped when the `skip_timeout_reset=1` parameter is present in requests. This allows expired sessions to bypass `SessionTracker::isSessionExpired()` checks and avoid forced logouts, enabling indefinite access to protected data. The vulnerability is rated 7.5 on the CVSS v3.1 scale (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N) and maps to CWE-613 (Insufficient Session Expiration).

An attacker who obtains a valid session cookie—via methods such as theft from abandoned workstations, network interception, or prior compromises—can exploit this by including `skip_timeout_reset=1` in subsequent requests. This maintains session activity indefinitely, even after normal expiration, granting unauthorized access to sensitive patient data and medical records. Auto-refresh features like the Patient Flow Board naturally include this parameter, exacerbating risks from unattended sessions in clinical environments. No authentication is required beyond the stolen cookie, making it accessible over the network with low complexity.

The GitHub security advisory (GHSA-gx7q-6fhr-5h33) and fixing commit (02a6a7793402b10356a94626d78e0e1069e92a77) confirm that upgrading to OpenEMR version 8.0.0 resolves the issue by ensuring session checks always run regardless of the parameter. Practitioners should prioritize patching affected instances, monitor for anomalous session persistence, and implement strict session management controls like short timeouts and cookie security flags in the interim.