motionEye's missing authentication on ActionHandler allows unauthenticated camera action execution
Description
Summary
The ActionHandler.post() method in motionEye has no authentication decorator, allowing any unauthenticated attacker to trigger camera actions including snapshots, recording start/stop, and configured action scripts (PTZ controls, alarm triggers, etc.).
Vulnerability
Details
File: motioneye/handlers/action.py — ActionHandler.post() line 36 CWE: CWE-862 — Missing Authorization CVSS: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N = 5.3 Medium
Vulnerable
Code
class ActionHandler(BaseHandler):
async def post(self, camera_id, action): # ← NO @BaseHandler.auth() decorator
camera_id = int(camera_id)
if camera_id not in config.get_camera_ids():
raise HTTPError(404, 'no such camera')
...
if action == 'snapshot':
await self.snapshot(camera_id) # executed without auth
return
elif action == 'record_start':
return self.record_start(camera_id)
elif action == 'record_stop':
return self.record_stop(camera_id)
action_commands = config.get_action_commands(local_config)
command = action_commands.get(action)
...
self.run_command_bg(command) # executes predefined shell scripts
Compare with other handlers that correctly require authentication:
@BaseHandler.auth(admin=True) # ← properly protected
async def delete(self, camera_id, filename):
...
Steps to
Reproduce
- Deploy motionEye with at least one camera configured
- Send unauthenticated POST:
POST /action/1/snapshot HTTP/1.1
Host: motioneye-host:8765
Content-Length: 0
- Observe
{}(HTTP 200) response — snapshot triggered without any credentials
For action scripts (lock, unlock, alarm_on, alarm_off, light_on, etc.): `` POST /action/1/alarm_on HTTP/1.1 Host: motioneye-host:8765 ``
Impact
- Unauthenticated attacker can trigger camera snapshots on demand
- Unauthenticated attacker can start/stop video recording
- If action scripts are configured by admin: attacker can trigger PTZ movement, alarm control, lighting changes — physical security bypass
- Via remote cameras: SSRF by triggering action on a remote motionEye server
Verification
Dynamically confirmed on v0.43.1 in Docker lab — POST /action/2/snapshot with no credentials returns HTTP 200 {}. Server log shows the action was processed (failed only because motion daemon was not running for the test camera, not due to an auth rejection).
Recommended
Fix
class ActionHandler(BaseHandler):
@BaseHandler.auth() # add authentication requirement
async def post(self, camera_id, action):
...
AI Insight
LLM-synthesized narrative grounded in this CVE's description and references.
Affected packages
Versions sourced from the GitHub Security Advisory.
| Package | Affected versions | Patched versions |
|---|---|---|
motioneyePyPI | < 0.44.0 | 0.44.0 |
Affected products
1Patches
Vulnerability mechanics
Root cause
"The `ActionHandler.post()` method in `motioneye/handlers/action.py` is missing the `@BaseHandler.auth()` authentication decorator, allowing unauthenticated execution of camera actions."
Attack vector
An unauthenticated attacker sends an HTTP POST request to the `/action/<camera_id>/<action>` endpoint (e.g., `/action/1/snapshot`) without any credentials. The `ActionHandler.post()` method lacks the `@BaseHandler.auth()` decorator, so it processes the request without verifying the user's identity [ref_id=2]. This allows the attacker to trigger camera snapshots, start/stop recording, and execute any configured action scripts such as PTZ movement or alarm controls [CWE-862]. The attack is network-accessible, requires no authentication, and can be performed with a simple HTTP request from any client that can reach the motionEye server.
What the fix does
The patch adds the `@BaseHandler.auth()` decorator to the `ActionHandler.post()` method, which enforces authentication before any action is processed [ref_id=2]. This mirrors the protection already present on other handlers like `delete()`, which uses `@BaseHandler.auth(admin=True)`. Without this decorator, the method would accept requests from any unauthenticated client; with it, the framework checks for a valid session or credentials before allowing the camera action to execute.
Preconditions
- networkThe motionEye server must be reachable over the network on port 8765 (default).
- configAt least one camera must be configured on the motionEye instance.
Reproduction
1. Deploy motionEye with at least one camera configured. 2. Send an unauthenticated POST request: ``` POST /action/1/snapshot HTTP/1.1 Host: motioneye-host:8765 Content-Length: 0 ``` 3. Observe the HTTP 200 `{}` response — the snapshot is triggered without any credentials. 4. For action scripts, send: ``` POST /action/1/alarm_on HTTP/1.1 Host: motioneye-host:8765 ```
Generated on Jun 23, 2026. Inputs: CWE entries + fix-commit diffs from this CVE's patches. Citations validated against bundle.
References
2News mentions
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