{"id":"CVE-2026-55609","aliases":["GHSA-xc9g-j69q-37xw"],"url":"https://o3.security/vulnerability/CVE-2026-55609","summary":"sublinear-time-solver: Arbitrary file write in consciousness-explorer / sublinear-time-solver MCP export_state","details":"### Impact\nAn arbitrary file write vulnerability (CWE-73, External Control of File Name or Path) exists in the `consciousness-explorer` component of `sublinear-time-solver`. The MCP `export_state` (and `import_state`) tool accepted a user-supplied `filepath` argument and passed it directly to `fs.writeFileSync` / `fs.readFileSync` without constraining the destination or rejecting path traversal. An attacker able to invoke the MCP tool could write or overwrite any file accessible to the server process (e.g. `~/.ssh/authorized_keys`, application files), leading to integrity loss and potential service disruption.\n\nThe same sink class was present in the main solver MCP server (`saveVectorToFile` / `loadVectorFromFile`).\n\n### Affected versions\n- `consciousness-explorer` < 1.1.2\n- `sublinear-time-solver` < 1.6.0\n- `sublinear` (crates.io) < 0.2.0\n\n### Patches\n- `consciousness-explorer@1.1.2`\n- `sublinear-time-solver@1.6.0`\n- `sublinear@0.2.0`\n\nState/vector files are now confined to a dedicated directory (overridable via `$CONSCIOUSNESS_EXPLORER_STATE_DIR` / `$SUBLINEAR_SOLVER_VECTOR_DIR`), a basename-only contract is enforced (rejecting separators, `..`, NUL/control chars, hidden files, and Windows reserved names), and files are opened with `O_NOFOLLOW | O_CLOEXEC` mode `0o600`. Covered by 14 regression tests in `tests/consciousness/safe-path.test.mjs`.\n\n**Breaking change:** callers must now pass a basename, not an absolute path.\n\n### Workarounds\nDo not expose the MCP server to untrusted clients; restrict `export_state` to trusted local users; run the server under a low-privilege account with a restricted working directory.","published":"2026-08-25T18:34:47.633Z","modified":"2026-09-11T03:30:35.461941994Z","cvss":{"score":7.1,"severity":"HIGH","vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H"},"epss":null,"cisaKev":null,"exploitsKnown":null,"affectedPackages":[{"ecosystem":"npm","name":"consciousness-explorer","fixedVersion":"1.1.2"},{"ecosystem":"npm","name":"sublinear-time-solver","fixedVersion":"1.6.0"}],"fix":{"url":"https://github.com/ruvnet/sublinear-time-solver/commit/a701296e363192be863e79d788fa268095e3d229","label":"ruvnet/sublinear-time-solver@a701296"},"references":[{"type":"WEB","url":"https://github.com/ruvnet/sublinear-time-solver/releases/tag/v1.6.0"},{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2026/55xxx/CVE-2026-55609.json"},{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://github.com/ruvnet/sublinear-time-solver/security/advisories/GHSA-xc9g-j69q-37xw"},{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-55609"},{"type":"REPORT","url":"https://github.com/BruceJqs/public_exp/issues/32"},{"type":"REPORT","url":"https://github.com/ruvnet/sublinear-time-solver/issues/19"},{"type":"FIX","url":"https://github.com/ruvnet/sublinear-time-solver/commit/a701296e363192be863e79d788fa268095e3d229"},{"type":"FIX","url":"https://github.com/ruvnet/sublinear-time-solver/commit/ea9a212b69e4449ec443fe088a7aec7546f70b4a"},{"type":"FIX","url":"https://github.com/ruvnet/sublinear-time-solver/pull/20"},{"type":"PACKAGE","url":"https://github.com/ruvnet/sublinear-time-solver"}],"provenance":{"sources":["OSV.dev","FIRST.org (EPSS)"],"lastVerified":"2026-09-11T03:30:35.461941994Z"}}