Arbitrary file read via exact path matching
Published Jan 12, 2026 · Updated Jan 12, 2026
Path traversal in Zen MCP Server before 9.8.2 allows remote authenticated users to read arbitrary files through file-reading tools. The is_dangerous_path() function compares resolved paths only with exact blacklist entries, so a file beneath a blocked directory passes validation. Access requires an enabled tool that accepts file-path input; successful exploitation exposes files readable by the server process.
Summary
What happened
Path traversal in Zen MCP Server before 9.8.2 allows remote authenticated users to read arbitrary files through file-reading tools. The is_dangerous_path() function compares resolved paths only with exact blacklist entries, so a file beneath a blocked directory passes validation. Access requires an enabled tool that accepts file-path input; successful exploitation exposes files readable by the server process.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-66689
- Published
- Jan 12, 2026
- Updated
- Jan 12, 2026
- Vendor
- Unknown vendor
- Product
- Unknown product
- Classifications
- CWE-22, CWE-552, T1005
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jan 12, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jan 12, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- CVE-2025-66689 file-read proof of conceptproof of concept · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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