wazuh: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory
CVE-2026-54083 is a high-severity improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory vulnerability in wazuh, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.1 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. Affected wazuh versions: >= 4.2.0, < 4.14.7; >= 5.0.0-alpha0, < 5.0.0-beta3. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.57% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Check which version of wazuh you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wazuh | wazuh | >= 4.2.0, < 4.14.7; >= 5.0.0-alpha0, < 5.0.0-beta3 | Not stated |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- NoneNo data is disclosed.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA (github.com).
Official description
Wazuh is an open-source security platform providing unified XDR and SIEM protection for endpoints and cloud workloads. The ip-customblock active response script contains a path traversal vulnerability that lets an attacker create or delete arbitrary files on the filesystem as root. The script builds a file path by concatenating the srcip field taken from alert JSON directly onto the fixed /ipblock/ base directory, without validating that the value is a well-formed IP address. Because the extraction routine returns the raw string unchecked, an attacker who can trigger alert-matching log events with a crafted srcip containing ../ sequences can escape the base directory. The block action opens the resulting path in append mode, creating an empty file at an arbitrary location, while the unblock action passes it to remove(), deleting an arbitrary file; since the active response daemon runs as root, this includes sensitive files such as system credentials and Wazuh configuration. Unlike the sibling scripts host-deny.c, default-firewall-drop.c, and firewalld-drop.c, which reject non-IP input via get_ip_version(), ip-customblock.c omits this validation. This issue is fixed in version 4.14.7.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory
The product uses external input to construct a pathname that is intended to identify a file or directory that is located underneath a restricted parent directory, but the product does not properly neutralize special elements within the pathname that can cause the pathname to resolve to a location that is outside of the restricted directory.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- For any security checks that are performed on the client side, ensure that these checks are duplicated on the server side, in order to avoid CWE-602. Attackers can bypass the client-side checks by modifying values after the checks have been performed, or by changing the client to remove the client-side checks entirely. Then, these modified values would be submitted to the server.
- Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid.
- Use an application firewall that can detect attacks against this weakness. It can be beneficial in cases in which the code cannot be fixed (because it is controlled by a third party), as an emergency prevention measure while more comprehensive software assurance measures are applied, or to provide defense in depth.
More Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory vulnerabilities (CWE-22)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: poc, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Advisories
Patches and release notes
Other vulnerabilities in wazuh
- 7.5 High severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
Recent Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory vulnerabilities
- 8.6 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 8.2 High severity
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