CVE-2025-55149Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Arbitrary PDF disclosure via unchecked file paths

Published Aug 9, 2025 · Updated Aug 11, 2025

Path traversal in TinyScientist 0.1.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to read server-accessible PDF files through the review API. The review_paper function in backend/app.py accepts pdf_path from POST /api/review and uses paths outside the /api/files/ branch directly as absolute paths. No authentication or user interaction is required, and disclosure is limited to PDF files readable by the server process.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
EPSS probability0.65%
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 TinyScientist 0.1.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to read server-accessible PDF files through the review API. The review_paper function in backend/app.py accepts pdf_path from POST /api/review and uses paths outside the /api/files/ branch directly as absolute paths. No authentication or user interaction is required, and disclosure is limited to PDF files readable by the server process.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-55149
Published
Aug 9, 2025
Updated
Aug 11, 2025
Vendor
U Lab @UIUC
Product
TinyScientist
Classifications
CWE-22, T1005
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 9, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 11, 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?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=<= 0.1.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

U Lab @UIUC · TinyScientistversion=<= 0.1.1

Published CVSS scores

6.7GitHub CNACVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
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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