CVE-2026-35412
Authorization Bypass in Directus TUS Upload Allows File Overwrite
Publication date: 2026-04-06
Last updated on: 2026-04-20
Assigner: GitHub, Inc.
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
| Probability: | |
| Percentile: |
Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| monospace | directus | to 11.16.1 (exc) |
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
| CWE ID | Description |
|---|---|
| CWE-863 | The product performs an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action, but it does not correctly perform the check. |
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?
This vulnerability exists in Directus versions prior to 11.16.1 in the TUS resumable upload endpoint (/files/tus). It allows any authenticated user with basic file upload permissions to overwrite arbitrary existing files by their UUID.
The issue arises because the TUS controller only performs collection-level authorization checks, verifying that the user has some permission on the directus_files collection, but it does not validate item-level access to the specific file being replaced.
As a result, row-level permission rules, such as "users can only update their own files," are bypassed when using the TUS upload path, even though these rules are correctly enforced on the standard REST upload path.
This vulnerability was fixed in Directus version 11.16.1.
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
This vulnerability can allow an authenticated user with basic file upload permissions to overwrite files they do not own or should not have access to.
Such unauthorized file overwrites can lead to data integrity issues, potential loss of important files, and unauthorized modification of content.
Because the vulnerability allows bypassing of row-level permission rules, it can undermine the security model of the application and potentially expose sensitive or critical files to unauthorized changes.
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
To mitigate this vulnerability, upgrade Directus to version 11.16.1 or later, where the issue has been fixed.
How does this vulnerability affect compliance with common standards and regulations (like GDPR, HIPAA)?:
This vulnerability allows authenticated users with basic file upload permissions to overwrite arbitrary existing files without proper item-level authorization checks. As a result, row-level permission rules are bypassed, potentially leading to unauthorized modification of files.
Such unauthorized file overwrites could impact compliance with standards like GDPR and HIPAA, which require strict access controls and data integrity protections to prevent unauthorized data modification.
However, the provided information does not explicitly state the direct impact on compliance with these regulations.