CVE-2023-40028Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Authenticated arbitrary file read via symlink import

Published Aug 15, 2023 · Updated Oct 2, 2024

Path traversal in Ghost before 5.59.1 allows remote authenticated users to read arbitrary host files through a crafted content import. The content-import ZIP extractor accepts symbolic-link entries, allowing links under content/images to resolve to attacker-selected filesystem paths. Authenticated access capable of importing content is required, and disclosure is limited to files readable by the Ghost process.

CVSS severity4.9
Medium
EPSS probability68.74%
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 Ghost before 5.59.1 allows remote authenticated users to read arbitrary host files through a crafted content import. The content-import ZIP extractor accepts symbolic-link entries, allowing links under content/images to resolve to attacker-selected filesystem paths. Authenticated access capable of importing content is required, and disclosure is limited to files readable by the Ghost process.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-40028
Published
Aug 15, 2023
Updated
Oct 2, 2024
Vendor
Ghost Foundation
Product
Ghost
Classifications
CWE-22, T1005
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 15, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 2, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=< 5.59.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Ghost Foundation · Ghostversion=< 5.59.1

Published CVSS scores

4.9GitHubCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-22Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
T1005Data from Local System

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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