GHSA-459f-x8vq-xjjm — static-web-server
Fix: static-web-server/static-web-server@308f0d2GHSA-459f-x8vq-xjjm is a CWE-61 vulnerability in static-web-server. A fix is available for static-web-server — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Static Web Server vulnerable to a symbolic link path traversal
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.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for GHSA-459f-x8vq-xjjm.
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
static-web-serverReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects crates.io packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
Summary
Symbolic links (symlinks) could be used to access files or directories outside the intended web root folder.
Details
SWS generally does not prevent symlinks from escaping the web server’s root directory. Therefore, if a malicious actor gains access to the web server’s root directory, they could create symlinks to access other files outside the designated web root folder either by URL or via the directory listing.
PoC
- Serve a directory (web root) with SWS.
- Create a symlink inside the web root that points to a file outside the web root.
e.g.
ln -s escape.txt $HOME/.bashrc - Open
http://localhost/escape.txtin your browser. - The file content will be served.
Impact
Any web server that runs with elevated privileges (e.g., root/administrator) and handles user-supplied file uploads is primarily impacted.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🦀crates.io | static-web-server | all versions | 2.40.1cargo update -p static-web-server --precise 2.40.1 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for static-web-server, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update static-web-server to 2.40.1 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-459f-x8vq-xjjm 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-459f-x8vq-xjjm can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to GHSA-459f-x8vq-xjjm. 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-459f-x8vq-xjjm in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds GHSA-459f-x8vq-xjjm across crates.io dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.