CVE-2026-77825
Received Received - Intake

Path Traversal in IBM ContextForge MCP Gateway

Publication date: 2026-09-24

Last updated on: 2026-09-24

Assigner: IBM Corporation

Description
IBM ContextForge MCP Gateway 1.0.0 through 1.0.8 was vulnerable to path traversal in its Admin API log-download endpoint (`GET /v1/admin/logs/file`). The path confinement check uses `str.startswith()` rather than proper boundary validation, allowing an authenticated admin to read `.log`, `.jsonl`, and `.json` files outside the configured `LOG_FOLDER` by supplying a filename that resolves into a sibling directory whose absolute path shares the log directory's string prefix.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-09-24
Last Modified
2026-09-24
Generated
2026-09-24
AI Q&A
2026-09-24
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-77825
EUVD
EUVD-2026-86011

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
ibm contextforge_mcp_gateway From 1.0.0 (inc) to 1.0.8 (inc)

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
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KEV
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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.

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Executive Summary

IBM ContextForge MCP Gateway 1.0.0 through 1.0.8 has a path traversal vulnerability in its Admin API log-download endpoint. The issue occurs because the path check uses str.startswith() instead of proper boundary validation, allowing authenticated admins to read files outside the configured log directory by exploiting shared path prefixes.

Detection Guidance

Check for unauthorized access to log files outside the configured LOG_FOLDER by reviewing admin API logs for requests to /v1/admin/logs/file with suspicious filenames. Inspect network traffic for admin API calls containing path traversal sequences like ../ or absolute paths.

Impact Analysis

An attacker with admin access could read sensitive files outside the log directory, including configuration data, credentials, and logs. This could lead to unauthorized access, data leaks, or further system compromise.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, potentially violating GDPR (data protection) and HIPAA (health information privacy) by exposing personal or confidential information.

Mitigation Strategies

Upgrade IBM ContextForge MCP Gateway to version 1.0.9 or later. If immediate upgrade is not possible, disable the Admin API by setting MCPGATEWAY_ADMIN_API_ENABLED=false. Restrict administrative access to trusted users only.

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