Medium
Grav vulnerable to Path Traversal allowing server files backup
Summary
A path traversal vulnerability has been identified in Grav CMS, versions 1.7.49.5 , allowing authenticated attackers
with administrative privileges to read arbitrary files on the underlying server filesystem. This vulnerability arises due
to insufficient input sanitization in the backup tool, where user-supplied paths are not properly restricted, enabling
access to files outside the intended webroot directory. The impact of this vulnerability depends on the privileges of
the user account running the application.PoC
To accurately demonstrate the maximum potential impact of this vulnerability, the testing environment was configured in a specific way:
- Elevated Privileges: The application was run locally with the highest possible system privileges, operating under the **`root`** user account.
- Objective: This configuration was chosen to unequivocally show that the path traversal vulnerability is not just a theoretical issue but can lead to a complete compromise of the underlying host when combined with poor operational practices. The ability to read any file on the system is the ultimate test of the flaw's severity.
Proof of Concept Goal: Under these conditions, the subsequent PoC will exploit the vulnerability to read the SSH private key
of the `root` user (`/root/.ssh/id_rsa`). The successful exfiltration of this key represents a worst-case scenario, as it would provide
an attacker with persistent, undetectable, and complete administrative access to the host server. This highlights the critical intersection
of an application-layer vulnerability and a infrastructure-level misconfiguration.1- LOGIN AS ADMIN AND GO TO : http://127.0.0.1/admin/tools/backups
2- Change 'Root Folder' to backup directory /../../../../../../../root/.ssh/3- CLICK : 'SAVE'
4- CLICK : 'Backup Now'5- Extract Backup :Affected software
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| Platform | Package | Vulnerable versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Composer package | getgrav/grav | < 1.8.0-beta.27 | 1.8.0-beta.27 |
References
CVSS score
6.8/10
- CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N- Weakness (CWE)
CWE-22- Platform
- Composer
- Package
getgrav/grav- Disclosed
- 02.12.2025
- Updated
- 11.10.2026 10:22
Sources and licenses
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-j422-qmxp-hv94 - CC BY 4.0
Vulnerability history: getgrav/grav
All published vulnerabilities of this package (Composer package), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.
- Total entries
- 99
- First → latest
- 11.2019 09.2026
- Without a fix
- 6
- Exploited in attacks
- 0
Severity breakdown
- Critical 7
- High 47
- Medium 41
- Low 4
Disclosures per year
- 2019: 1
- 2020: 1
- 2021: 4
- 2022: 10
- 2023: 5
- 2024: 8
- 2025: 23
- 2026: 47
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Grav vulnerable to Path Traversal allowing server files backup this entry
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