Arbitrary file overwrite via unsanitized PDB image names
Published Feb 20, 2026 · Updated Feb 20, 2026
Path traversal in calibre before 9.3.0 allows attackers to overwrite arbitrary writable files by converting a crafted PDB e-book. The 132-byte and 202-byte PDB readers pass an attacker-controlled image name to a binary file open without confining the resolved path to the images directory. Exploitation requires a user to convert the malicious file; writes run with that user's permissions and can corrupt files or enable code execution.
Summary
What happened
Path traversal in calibre before 9.3.0 allows attackers to overwrite arbitrary writable files by converting a crafted PDB e-book. The 132-byte and 202-byte PDB readers pass an attacker-controlled image name to a binary file open without confining the resolved path to the images directory. Exploitation requires a user to convert the malicious file; writes run with that user's permissions and can corrupt files or enable code execution.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-26065
- Published
- Feb 20, 2026
- Updated
- Feb 20, 2026
- Vendor
- Kovid Goyal
- Product
- calibre
- Classifications
- CWE-22, T1204.002
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Feb 20, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Feb 20, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.
Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=< 9.3.0
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
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
- create_poc.py PDB traversal generatorproof of concept · demonstrated
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Book a demo