GHSA-w4h6-9wrp-v5jq is a critical-severity (CVSS 9.3) CWE-770 vulnerability in frigate. A fix is available for frigate — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Malicious Long Unicode filenames may cause a Multiple Application-level Denial of Service
Exploitation Status
No confirmed exploitation observed yet
- CISA’s own triage has not observed active exploitation or public proof-of-concept code for this CVE as of its last assessment.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for GHSA-w4h6-9wrp-v5jq.
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-w4h6-9wrp-v5jq 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 377,333 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
frigateReal-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
Important: Exploiting this vulnerability requires the attacker to have access to your Frigate instance, which means they could also just delete all of your recordings or perform any other action. If you have configured authentication in front of Frigate via a reverse proxy, then this vulnerability is not exploitable without first getting around your authentication method. For many obvious reasons in addition to this one, please don't expose your Frigate instance publicly without any kind of authentication.
Summary
When uploading a file or retrieving the filename, a user may intentionally use a large Unicode filename which would lead to a application-level denial of service. This is due to no limitation set on the length of the filename and the costy use of the Unicode normalization with the form NFKD under the hood of secure_filename().
I idenfied multiple vulnerable paths on blakeblackshear/frigate repository. In all of those paths, it was possible for a malicious user to send a filename equals to the output of : python3 -c "print('℀' * 1_000_000)" which would reach the werkzeug secure_filename() call , which in turn under the hood uses a compatibility Unicode normalization with NFKC/NFKD form. In sum, the latter call would be costly in matter of CPU resource and may lead to the application-level denial of service.
Vulnerable Paths
<details> <summary>Path with 2 steps</summary>- <pre><code class="python">@MediaBp.route("/<camera_name>/start/<int:start_ts>/end/<int:end_ts>/clip.mp4") @MediaBp.route("/<camera_name>/start/<float:start_ts>/end/<float:end_ts>/clip.mp4") def recording_clip(<strong>camera_name</strong>, start_ts, end_ts): download = request.args.get("download", type=bool) </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python"> playlist_lines.append(f"outpoint {int(end_ts - clip.start_time)}") file_name = secure_filename(<strong>f"clip_{camera_name}_{start_ts}-{end_ts}.mp4"</strong>) path = os.path.join(CACHE_DIR, file_name) </code></pre>
<pre><code class="python"> playlist_lines.append(f"outpoint {int(end_ts - clip.start_time)}") file_name = secure_filename(<strong>f"clip_{camera_name}_{start_ts}-{end_ts}.mp4"</strong>) path = os.path.join(CACHE_DIR, file_name) </code></pre>
This user-provided value can reach a costly Unicode normalization operation.
Paths
<details> <summary>Path with 2 steps</summary>- <pre><code class="python">@MediaBp.route("/<camera_name>/start/<int:start_ts>/end/<int:end_ts>/clip.mp4") @MediaBp.route("/<camera_name>/start/<float:start_ts>/end/<float:end_ts>/clip.mp4") def recording_clip(camera_name, <strong>start_ts</strong>, end_ts): download = request.args.get("download", type=bool) </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python"> playlist_lines.append(f"outpoint {int(end_ts - clip.start_time)}") file_name = secure_filename(<strong>f"clip_{camera_name}_{start_ts}-{end_ts}.mp4"</strong>) path = os.path.join(CACHE_DIR, file_name) </code></pre>
<pre><code class="python"> playlist_lines.append(f"outpoint {int(end_ts - clip.start_time)}") file_name = secure_filename(<strong>f"clip_{camera_name}_{start_ts}-{end_ts}.mp4"</strong>) path = os.path.join(CACHE_DIR, file_name) </code></pre>
This user-provided value can reach a costly Unicode normalization operation.
Paths
<details> <summary>Path with 2 steps</summary>- <pre><code class="python">@MediaBp.route("/<camera_name>/start/<int:start_ts>/end/<int:end_ts>/clip.mp4") @MediaBp.route("/<camera_name>/start/<float:start_ts>/end/<float:end_ts>/clip.mp4") def recording_clip(camera_name, start_ts, <strong>end_ts</strong>): download = request.args.get("download", type=bool) </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python"> playlist_lines.append(f"outpoint {int(end_ts - clip.start_time)}") file_name = secure_filename(<strong>f"clip_{camera_name}_{start_ts}-{end_ts}.mp4"</strong>) path = os.path.join(CACHE_DIR, file_name) </code></pre>
<pre><code class="python"> current_app.frigate_config, camera_name, secure_filename(<strong>name.replace(" ", "_")</strong>) if name else None, int(start_time), int(end_time), </code></pre>
This user-provided value can reach a costly Unicode normalization operation.
Paths
<details> <summary>Path with 8 steps</summary>- <pre><code class="python"> jsonify, make_response, <strong>request</strong>, ) from peewee import DoesNotExist, fn </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python"> jsonify, make_response, <strong>request</strong>, ) from peewee import DoesNotExist, fn </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python"> ) json: dict[str, any] = <strong>request</strong>.get_json(silent=True) or {} playback_factor = json.get("playback", "realtime") name: Optional[str] = json.get("name") </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python"> ) <strong>json</strong>: dict[str, any] = request.get_json(silent=True) or {} playback_factor = json.get("playback", "realtime") name: Optional[str] = json.get("name") </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python"> json: dict[str, any] = request.get_json(silent=True) or {} playback_factor = json.get("playback", "realtime") name: Optional[str] = <strong>json</strong>.get("name") recordings_count = ( </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python"> json: dict[str, any] = request.get_json(silent=True) or {} playback_factor = json.get("playback", "realtime") name: Optional[str] = <strong>json.get("name")</strong> recordings_count = ( </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python"> json: dict[str, any] = request.get_json(silent=True) or {} playback_factor = json.get("playback", "realtime") <strong>name</strong>: Optional[str] = json.get("name") recordings_count = ( </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python"> current_app.frigate_config, camera_name, secure_filename(<strong>name.replace(" ", "_")</strong>) if name else None, int(start_time), int(end_time), </code></pre>
<pre><code class="python">def export_rename(file_name_current, file_name_new: str): safe_file_name_current = secure_filename( <strong>export_filename_check_extension(file_name_current)</strong> ) file_current = os.path.join(EXPORT_DIR, safe_file_name_current) </code></pre>
This user-provided value can reach a costly Unicode normalization operation.
Paths
<details> <summary>Path with 5 steps</summary>- <pre><code class="python"> @MediaBp.route("/export/<file_name_current>/<file_name_new>", methods=["PATCH"]) def export_rename(<strong>file_name_current</strong>, file_name_new: str): safe_file_name_current = secure_filename( export_filename_check_extension(file_name_current) </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python">def export_rename(file_name_current, file_name_new: str): safe_file_name_current = secure_filename( export_filename_check_extension(<strong>file_name_current</strong>) ) file_current = os.path.join(EXPORT_DIR, safe_file_name_current) </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python"> def export_filename_check_extension(<strong>filename</strong>: str): if filename.endswith(".mp4"): return filename </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python">def export_filename_check_extension(filename: str): if filename.endswith(".mp4"): return <strong>filename</strong> else: return filename + ".mp4" </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python">def export_rename(file_name_current, file_name_new: str): safe_file_name_current = secure_filename( <strong>export_filename_check_extension(file_name_current)</strong> ) file_current = os.path.join(EXPORT_DIR, safe_file_name_current) </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python"> @MediaBp.route("/export/<file_name_current>/<file_name_new>", methods=["PATCH"]) def export_rename(<strong>file_name_current</strong>, file_name_new: str): safe_file_name_current = secure_filename( export_filename_check_extension(file_name_current) </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python">def export_rename(file_name_current, file_name_new: str): safe_file_name_current = secure_filename( export_filename_check_extension(<strong>file_name_current</strong>) ) file_current = os.path.join(EXPORT_DIR, safe_file_name_current) </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python"> def export_filename_check_extension(<strong>filename</strong>: str): if filename.endswith(".mp4"): return filename </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python"> return filename else: return <strong>filename + ".mp4"</strong> </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python">def export_rename(file_name_current, file_name_new: str): safe_file_name_current = secure_filename( <strong>export_filename_check_extension(file_name_current)</strong> ) file_current = os.path.join(EXPORT_DIR, safe_file_name_current) </code></pre>
<pre><code class="python"> ) safe_file_name_new = secure_filename(<strong>export_filename_check_extension(file_name_new)</strong>) file_new = os.path.join(EXPORT_DIR, safe_file_name_new) </code></pre>
This user-provided value can reach a costly Unicode normalization operation.
Paths
<details> <summary>Path with 5 steps</summary>- <pre><code class="python"> @MediaBp.route("/export/<file_name_current>/<file_name_new>", methods=["PATCH"]) def export_rename(file_name_current, <strong>file_name_new</strong>: str): safe_file_name_current = secure_filename( export_filename_check_extension(file_name_current) </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python"> ) safe_file_name_new = secure_filename(export_filename_check_extension(<strong>file_name_new</strong>)) file_new = os.path.join(EXPORT_DIR, safe_file_name_new) </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python"> def export_filename_check_extension(<strong>filename</strong>: str): if filename.endswith(".mp4"): return filename </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python">def export_filename_check_extension(filename: str): if filename.endswith(".mp4"): return <strong>filename</strong> else: return filename + ".mp4" </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python"> ) safe_file_name_new = secure_filename(<strong>export_filename_check_extension(file_name_new)</strong>) file_new = os.path.join(EXPORT_DIR, safe_file_name_new) </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python"> @MediaBp.route("/export/<file_name_current>/<file_name_new>", methods=["PATCH"]) def export_rename(file_name_current, <strong>file_name_new</strong>: str): safe_file_name_current = secure_filename( export_filename_check_extension(file_name_current) </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python"> ) safe_file_name_new = secure_filename(export_filename_check_extension(<strong>file_name_new</strong>)) file_new = os.path.join(EXPORT_DIR, safe_file_name_new) </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python"> def export_filename_check_extension(<strong>filename</strong>: str): if filename.endswith(".mp4"): return filename </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python"> return filename else: return <strong>filename + ".mp4"</strong> </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python"> ) safe_file_name_new = secure_filename(<strong>export_filename_check_extension(file_name_new)</strong>) file_new = os.path.join(EXPORT_DIR, safe_file_name_new) </code></pre>
<pre><code class="python">@MediaBp.route("/export/<file_name>", methods=["DELETE"]) def export_delete(file_name: str): safe_file_name = secure_filename(<strong>export_filename_check_extension(file_name)</strong>) file = os.path.join(EXPORT_DIR, safe_file_name) </code></pre>
This user-provided value can reach a costly Unicode normalization operation.
Paths
<details> <summary>Path with 5 steps</summary>- <pre><code class="python"> @MediaBp.route("/export/<file_name>", methods=["DELETE"]) def export_delete(<strong>file_name</strong>: str): safe_file_name = secure_filename(export_filename_check_extension(file_name)) file = os.path.join(EXPORT_DIR, safe_file_name) </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python">@MediaBp.route("/export/<file_name>", methods=["DELETE"]) def export_delete(file_name: str): safe_file_name = secure_filename(export_filename_check_extension(<strong>file_name</strong>)) file = os.path.join(EXPORT_DIR, safe_file_name) </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python"> def export_filename_check_extension(<strong>filename</strong>: str): if filename.endswith(".mp4"): return filename </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python">def export_filename_check_extension(filename: str): if filename.endswith(".mp4"): return <strong>filename</strong> else: return filename + ".mp4" </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python">@MediaBp.route("/export/<file_name>", methods=["DELETE"]) def export_delete(file_name: str): safe_file_name = secure_filename(<strong>export_filename_check_extension(file_name)</strong>) file = os.path.join(EXPORT_DIR, safe_file_name) </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python"> @MediaBp.route("/export/<file_name>", methods=["DELETE"]) def export_delete(<strong>file_name</strong>: str): safe_file_name = secure_filename(export_filename_check_extension(file_name)) file = os.path.join(EXPORT_DIR, safe_file_name) </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python">@MediaBp.route("/export/<file_name>", methods=["DELETE"]) def export_delete(file_name: str): safe_file_name = secure_filename(export_filename_check_extension(<strong>file_name</strong>)) file = os.path.join(EXPORT_DIR, safe_file_name) </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python"> def export_filename_check_extension(<strong>filename</strong>: str): if filename.endswith(".mp4"): return filename </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python"> return filename else: return <strong>filename + ".mp4"</strong> </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python">@MediaBp.route("/export/<file_name>", methods=["DELETE"]) def export_delete(file_name: str): safe_file_name = secure_filename(<strong>export_filename_check_extension(file_name)</strong>) file = os.path.join(EXPORT_DIR, safe_file_name) </code></pre>
<pre><code class="python">def preview_thumbnail(file_name: str): """Get a thumbnail from the cached preview frames.""" safe_file_name_current = secure_filename(<strong>file_name</strong>) preview_dir = os.path.join(CACHE_DIR, "preview_frames") </code></pre>
This user-provided value can reach a costly Unicode normalization operation.
Paths
<details> <summary>Path with 2 steps</summary>- <pre><code class="python">@MediaBp.route("/preview/<file_name>/thumbnail.jpg") @MediaBp.route("/preview/<file_name>/thumbnail.webp") def preview_thumbnail(<strong>file_name</strong>: str): """Get a thumbnail from the cached preview frames.""" safe_file_name_current = secure_filename(file_name) </code></pre>
- <pre><code class="python">def preview_thumbnail(file_name: str): """Get a thumbnail from the cached preview frames.""" safe_file_name_current = secure_filename(<strong>file_name</strong>) preview_dir = os.path.join(CACHE_DIR, "preview_frames") </code></pre>
Impact
- Application-level Denial of Service, the web app would hung undefinetly and not process any further request due to the use of the malicious payload.
Mitigation
- Limiting the length of the incoming filename, similar to this commit fix.
References
- Similar to CVE-2023-46695
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐍PyPI | frigate | all versions | 0.13.2pip install --upgrade 'frigate==0.13.2' |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for frigate, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update frigate to 0.13.2 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-w4h6-9wrp-v5jq 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-w4h6-9wrp-v5jq can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to GHSA-w4h6-9wrp-v5jq. 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-w4h6-9wrp-v5jq in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds GHSA-w4h6-9wrp-v5jq across PyPI dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.