CVE-2023-38745Public exploit

Arbitrary file overwrite via double-decoded media paths

Published Jul 25, 2023 · Updated Nov 4, 2025

Path traversal in Pandoc before 3.1.6 allows attackers to create or overwrite arbitrary files via crafted image elements. MediaBag accepts double-encoded percent sequences in data-URI filenames, and writeMedia decodes the resulting names into paths outside the media directory. Exposure requires untrusted input and PDF output or --extract-media; writes carry the Pandoc process's filesystem privileges.

CVSS severity6.3
Medium
EPSS probability0.25%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Path traversal in Pandoc before 3.1.6 allows attackers to create or overwrite arbitrary files via crafted image elements. MediaBag accepts double-encoded percent sequences in data-URI filenames, and writeMedia decodes the resulting names into paths outside the media directory. Exposure requires untrusted input and PDF output or --extract-media; writes carry the Pandoc process's filesystem privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-38745
Published
Jul 25, 2023
Updated
Nov 4, 2025
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
T1565.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 25, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 4, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

6.3NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1565.001Stored Data Manipulation

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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