CVE-2026-22594 is a vulnerability categorized under CWE-287 (Improper Authentication) found in the TryGhost content management system, a popular Node.js-based platform for publishing. The vulnerability affects Ghost versions from 5.105.0 up to but not including 5.130.6, and from 6.0.0 up to but not including 6.11.0. The flaw specifically targets the 2FA mechanism implemented for staff users, allowing them to bypass the email-based second factor of authentication. This means that an attacker who already has staff-level credentials can circumvent the additional security layer intended to protect sensitive administrative functions. The CVSS v3.1 score of 8.1 reflects a high-severity issue with network attack vector, low attack complexity, requiring privileges but no user interaction, and resulting in high confidentiality and integrity impacts. The vulnerability does not affect system availability. Although no known exploits are reported in the wild, the risk remains significant due to the potential for privilege escalation and unauthorized access to administrative functions. The vulnerability was publicly disclosed on January 10, 2026, and fixed in subsequent Ghost releases 5.130.6 and 6.11.0. Organizations running affected versions should upgrade promptly to mitigate the risk.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the confidentiality and integrity of content and administrative controls within Ghost-powered websites and platforms. Unauthorized bypass of 2FA can lead to unauthorized content modifications, data leakage, or further lateral movement within the organization's infrastructure. Given that Ghost is used by various media, publishing, and corporate websites, exploitation could damage brand reputation, violate data protection regulations such as GDPR, and result in financial or legal consequences. The lack of impact on availability means service disruption is unlikely, but the potential for stealthy unauthorized access elevates the threat. Organizations relying on Ghost for critical content management should consider this vulnerability a high priority for remediation to maintain secure operations and compliance.

European organizations should immediately verify their Ghost CMS version and upgrade to 5.130.6 or 6.11.0 or later to apply the official patch. Until patched, organizations should consider disabling 2FA for staff users or restricting staff account creation and access to trusted personnel only. Implementing additional monitoring and alerting on staff account activities can help detect suspicious behavior indicative of 2FA bypass attempts. Network segmentation and limiting administrative interface exposure to trusted IP addresses can reduce attack surface. Regularly auditing user privileges and enforcing strong password policies will further mitigate risk. Additionally, organizations should review their incident response plans to prepare for potential unauthorized access scenarios related to this vulnerability.