GHSA-rrgf-hcr9-jq6h
TinyScientist has Path Traversal Vulnerability in PDF Review Function (CWE-22)
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.
Blast Radius
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Description
Description
A critical path traversal vulnerability (CWE-22) has been identified in the review_paper function in backend/app.py. The vulnerability allows malicious users to access arbitrary PDF files on the server by providing crafted file paths that bypass the intended security restrictions.
Impact
This vulnerability allows attackers to:
- Read any PDF file accessible to the server process
- Potentially access sensitive documents outside the intended directory
- Perform reconnaissance on the server's file system structure
Vulnerable Code
The issue occurs in the review_paper function around line 744:
if pdf_path.startswith("/api/files/"):
# Safe path handling for API routes
relative_path = pdf_path[len("/api/files/"):]
generated_base = os.path.join(project_root, "generated")
absolute_pdf_path = os.path.join(generated_base, relative_path)
else:
absolute_pdf_path = pdf_path # VULNERABLE: Direct use of user input
Proof of Concept
curl -X POST http://localhost:5000/api/review \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"pdf_path": "/etc/passwd"}'
Credit
This vulnerability was discovered and reported by Ruizhe.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐍PyPI | tiny-scientist | all versions | No fix |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for tiny-scientist. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.
Remediation status
No patched version of tiny-scientist has shipped for GHSA-rrgf-hcr9-jq6h yet. Where your build allows, override or pin the dependency away from the vulnerable range, and apply any maintainer-recommended mitigation.
Mitigate without a patch
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 pinpoints whether GHSA-rrgf-hcr9-jq6h is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.
Tailored to GHSA-rrgf-hcr9-jq6h. 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-rrgf-hcr9-jq6h in your dependencies?
O3 detects GHSA-rrgf-hcr9-jq6h across PyPI dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.