Code execution via update path traversal
Published Apr 29, 2026 · Updated Apr 29, 2026
Path traversal in Ollama for Windows 0.12.10 through 0.17.5 allows attackers to execute code via manipulated update responses. The updater passes a filename derived from attacker-controlled HTTP headers directly to filepath.Join, so ../ segments escape the update staging directory and can place executables in the Windows Startup directory. Exploitation requires influence over update responses; automatic persistent execution also depends on chaining the missing-signature-check flaw.
Summary
What happened
Path traversal in Ollama for Windows 0.12.10 through 0.17.5 allows attackers to execute code via manipulated update responses. The updater passes a filename derived from attacker-controlled HTTP headers directly to filepath.Join, so ../ segments escape the update staging directory and can place executables in the Windows Startup directory. Exploitation requires influence over update responses; automatic persistent execution also depends on chaining the missing-signature-check flaw.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-42249
- Published
- Apr 29, 2026
- Updated
- Apr 29, 2026
- Vendor
- Ollama
- Product
- Ollama
- Classifications
- CWE-494, CWE-22, CAPEC-186, CAPEC-139, T1547.001
- Attack vector
- adjacent
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Apr 29, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Apr 29, 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=0.12.10 <=0.17.5
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
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
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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