CVE-2026-27819
Path Traversal and Panic in Vikunja Restore Function Allowing File Overwrite
Publication date: 2026-02-25
Last updated on: 2026-03-05
Assigner: GitHub, Inc.
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
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Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| vikunja | vikunja | to 2.0.0 (exc) |
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
| CWE ID | Description |
|---|---|
| CWE-248 | An exception is thrown from a function, but it is not caught. |
| 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
AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?
This vulnerability exists in Vikunja, an open-source self-hosted task management platform, prior to version 2.0.0. The restoreConfig function fails to properly sanitize file paths within a provided ZIP archive. As a result, a maliciously crafted ZIP file can bypass the intended extraction directory and overwrite arbitrary files on the host system.
Additionally, if the archive is malformed, it can cause a runtime panic that crashes the application immediately after the database has been permanently wiped. This happens because the application trusts the metadata in the ZIP archive and uses the Name attribute directly without validation, allowing files to be written outside the intended directory.
The restoration logic also assumes a specific directory structure within the ZIP. When given a minimal malicious ZIP, the application fails to validate the length of slices derived from the archive contents, leading to an out-of-bounds access and a panic.
This issue was fixed in version 2.0.0.
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
This vulnerability can have severe impacts including:
- Arbitrary file overwrite on the host system, which can lead to unauthorized modification or replacement of critical files.
- Permanent wiping of the database followed by a crash of the application, resulting in data loss and service disruption.
- Potential compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the system, as indicated by the high CVSS score (7.2) with impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
How does this vulnerability affect compliance with common standards and regulations (like GDPR, HIPAA)?:
I don't know
How can this vulnerability be detected on my network or system? Can you suggest some commands?
I don't know
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
To mitigate this vulnerability, upgrade Vikunja to version 2.0.0 or later, as this version contains the fix for the path traversal and panic issues in the restoreConfig function.