pfSense Plus: Path Traversal: '../filedir'
CVE-2026-97730 is a high-severity path traversal: '../filedir' vulnerability in pfSense Plus from Netgate, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.5 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. The record lists version 26.07 as the first without the flaw, so updating pfSense Plus to that release or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 1.03% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 64% of scored CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update pfSense Plus to 26.07 or a later version.
- Update pfSense CE to 2.9.0 or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Netgate | pfSense Plus | before 26.07 | 26.07 |
| Netgate | pfSense CE | before 2.9.0 | 2.9.0 |
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
- HighSuccess depends on conditions outside the attacker's control.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- ChangedThe attack can reach beyond the vulnerable component into other systems.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA (mitre.org).
Official description
In Netgate pfSense Plus before 26.07 and pfSense CE before 2.9.0, a Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability in the Dashboard (index.php) widget sequence data handling allows an authenticated attacker to execute arbitrary PHP code. To exploit this, an attacker with privileges to modify Dashboard settings and write arbitrary files to the pfSense firewall system (e.g., /tmp/test.widget.php) can submit a crafted widget sequence value containing a path traversal payload (e.g., ../../../../../../../../../../../tmp/test). The Dashboard will subsequently read and execute the arbitrary PHP file as if it were a standard widget.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Path Traversal: '../filedir'
The product uses external input to construct a pathname that should be within a restricted directory, but it does not properly neutralize../ sequences that can resolve to a location that is outside of that directory.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Inputs should be decoded and canonicalized to the application's current internal representation before being validated (CWE-180). Make sure that the application does not decode the same input twice (CWE-174). Such errors could be used to bypass allowlist validation schemes by introducing dangerous inputs after they have been checked.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Other references
Other vulnerabilities in pfSense Plus
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
Recent Path Traversal: '../filedir' vulnerabilities
- 8.2 High severity
- 7.2 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.7 High severity
- 9.4 Critical severity
- 7.3 High severity
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