Remote code execution via Unicode path confusion
Published Feb 24, 2026 · Updated Feb 24, 2026
Path confusion in Caddy before 2.11.1 allows remote attackers to execute attacker-controlled non-PHP files through crafted URLs. FastCGI Transport.splitPos lowercases the request path before locating .php, then buildEnv slices the original UTF-8 path with that shifted byte index, missetting SCRIPT_FILENAME and PATH_INFO. Code execution requires a FastCGI PHP deployment and an attacker-controlled file that the confused script path can resolve.
Summary
What happened
Path confusion in Caddy before 2.11.1 allows remote attackers to execute attacker-controlled non-PHP files through crafted URLs. FastCGI Transport.splitPos lowercases the request path before locating .php, then buildEnv slices the original UTF-8 path with that shifted byte index, missetting SCRIPT_FILENAME and PATH_INFO. Code execution requires a FastCGI PHP deployment and an attacker-controlled file that the confused script path can resolve.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-27590
- Published
- Feb 24, 2026
- Updated
- Feb 24, 2026
- Vendor
- Caddy
- Product
- Caddy
- Classifications
- CWE-180, CWE-20, T1190
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Feb 24, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Feb 24, 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?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=< 2.11.1
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
- Unicode splitPos proof of conceptproof 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
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