File-existence disclosure via path-prefix boundary bypass
Published May 11, 2026 · Updated May 11, 2026
Path traversal in Audiobookshelf before 2.33.2 allows remote authenticated users to probe out-of-scope file existence via its API. The checkPathExists handler resolves the supplied directory, then uses String.startsWith() on the path rather than enforcing a separator-aware boundary. The request requires upload permission and a sibling directory sharing the library path prefix; only a Boolean existence result is exposed.
Summary
What happened
Path traversal in Audiobookshelf before 2.33.2 allows remote authenticated users to probe out-of-scope file existence via its API. The checkPathExists handler resolves the supplied directory, then uses String.startsWith() on the path rather than enforcing a separator-aware boundary. The request requires upload permission and a sibling directory sharing the library path prefix; only a Boolean existence result is exposed.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-42885
- Published
- May 11, 2026
- Updated
- May 11, 2026
- Vendor
- advplyr
- Product
- Audiobookshelf
- Classifications
- CWE-22, T1083
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 11, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 11, 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=< 2.33.2
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
- GHSA-rhjg-p6cm-38w2 proof of conceptproof of concept · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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