CVE-2026-73642

Deferred Deferred - Pending Action

Path Traversal in Dayforce Payroll File Download

Publication date: 2026-09-28

Last updated on: 2026-10-13

Assigner: CERT.PL

Description

Dayforce ESS Excelity is vulnerable to Path Traversal in file download functionality. An unauthenticated attacker can sent GET request with file path parameter set to any path including an absolute local file path. This issue was fixed in version V4.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

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Meta Information

Published

2026-09-28

Last Modified

2026-10-13

Generated

2026-10-19

AI Q&A

2026-09-28

EPSS Evaluated

2026-10-18

NVD

CVE-2026-73642

EUVD

EUVD-2026-88251

Affected Vendors & Products

Vendor	Product	Version / Range
dayforce	payroll	r2026.2.0
dayforce	payroll	From r2026.2.0 (exc)

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE

KEV

CWE ID	Description
CWE-22	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.

Attack-Flow Graph

Executive Summary

Dayforce Payroll has a Path Traversal vulnerability in its file download feature. An unauthenticated attacker can send a specially crafted GET request with a file path parameter set to an absolute local file path, potentially accessing unauthorized files on the server.

Detection Guidance

Detect this vulnerability by checking for unusual file download requests in web server logs. Look for GET requests with file path parameters containing absolute local paths like /etc/passwd or C:\Windows\win.ini. Monitor for unauthorized access attempts to sensitive files.

Impact Analysis

This vulnerability allows attackers to read sensitive files on the server, which could include configuration files, user data, or other confidential information. It may lead to data breaches, unauthorized access, or further exploitation of the system.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability can lead to non-compliance with GDPR, HIPAA, and other regulations by exposing sensitive personal or health data. Organizations may face legal penalties, fines, or reputational damage due to data breaches resulting from this issue.

Mitigation Strategies

Immediately update Dayforce Payroll to the latest version beyond R2026.2.0. Restrict file download functionality to authenticated users only. Implement input validation to block absolute path traversal attempts in file path parameters.

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